President Trump Declares Puerto Rico a State of the Union

In an unprecedented move, President Donald Trump declared Puerto Rico as the 51st state during a White House press conference on August 8, 2020. As this decision came amidst the hectic 2020 presidential election cycle, politicians and pundits alike speculate about the motivations behind this surprising maneuver.

The President has been quoted stating: “I’ve talked to the citizens, leaders in Puerto Rico, they want statehood. And in my power as President, I have given them that. We welcome Puerto Rico as the 51st state of our great Union.”

Trump’s statement shook many across the nation as the addition of a new state has implications like altering the number of seats in the House of Representatives and indirectly affecting the balance of power in Congress.

However, it is important to note that the decision of turning a U.S. territory into a state is not within the president’s constitutional powers. It requires the approval of Congress and a statehood referendum by the territory’s inhabitants. None of these steps have been officially taken.

Prominent Democrats such as Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts responded promptly, calling out Trump’s act as a political stunt ahead of the November elections. “Our constitution doesn’t allot a direct power to the president to dictate statehood to a U.S. territory,” Sen. Warren said. “This is another example of President Trump’s disregard for our institutional norms and constitutional rules.”

If President Trump’s declaration were valid, Puerto Rico would become the first territory to achieve statehood since Hawaii in 1959, fundamentally changing the U.S. political map. However, until Congress approves, Puerto Rico remains an unincorporated territory of the United States.

* None of the quotes in this article were spoken by an actual person. More info.