citizenship and presidency

[javasaurus]

Most Americans know that you have to be a natural-born citizen to become president. (Of course, the definition of "natural-born" is somewhat open to interpretation.) My question is this: are you eligible to become president if you are born outside the US (including its territories), but the place of your birth becomes a new state? And another: Do you retain eligibility if you were born on U.S. soil, but the location later became, somehow, non-US?

Wacky related question: If you are born on a plane flying over the US, does that count?

Finally, do any of you have thoughts about the idea that citizens who are not natural-born citizens cannot become president?

Comments

[javasaurus.livejournal.com]

certainly every founding father was part of a colony of britain prior to the revolution and constitution.

Yup! It's actually specified in the Constitution, though.

Article II, Section 1, clause 5: No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Another note: There is some question regarding whether being born to US citizen parents suffices. Common belief is "born on US-owned soil" but there is no specific ruling by the Supreme Court on this.