Former US President Donald Trump has hinted that Britain’s Prince Harry could be deported if it turns out that he lied about his drug use on his visa application. Trump previously accused the royal of “betraying” his family.
In an interview with former Brexit Party leader and GB News host Nigel Farage set to be broadcast on Tuesday, Trump was asked whether he would grant the Duke of Sussex “special privileges” if US immigration authorities discover that he tried to conceal his drug use to enter the US.
“No,” Trump replied. “We’ll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they’ll have to take appropriate action.”
“Appropriate action? Which might mean…not staying in America?” Farage pressed.
“Oh, I don’t know. You’ll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago,” Trump answered.
In his 2023 autobiography, Harry admitted to using cocaine, marijuana, and ayahuasca in the past. Applicants for US visas must answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the question ‘Are you or have you ever been a drug abuser or addict?’
Prince Harry and his wife, Meaghan Markle, moved to California in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties. In an interview with ‘Good Morning America’ last month, the prince said that he would consider applying for US citizenship, but that doing so was “certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now.”
Before the interview aired, the Heritage Foundation – a conservative think tank – sued the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking the release of Harry’s immigration records. Earlier this month, a federal judge ordered the DHS to hand over the files, but the department stated on Sunday that it needs two more weeks to locate them. Once found, the judge will then rule whether they can be made public.
Trump met with Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 2018 and 2019. Then-President Trump described the queen as an “incredible lady,” and claimed that the pair had “too much fun” during 2019’s state visit.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland last month, Trump said that Harry “betrayed the queen,” and “would be on his own” in any immigration dispute with his administration. Trump’s “betrayal” comment was likely a reference to Harry abandoning his royal duties and giving a series of interviews accusing the royal family of racism.
Trump is currently the presumptive Republican nominee to challenge President Joe Biden in this November’s presidential election. The former leader, who has a slight lead on Biden in most recent polls, has vowed to close the US’ southern border with Mexico and institute “the largest deportation operation in American history.”