Some theorists sought court rulings to declare Obama ineligible to take office, or to grant access to various documents which they claimed would support such ineligibility none of these efforts succeeded. These claims were promoted by fringe theorists (pejoratively referred to as 'birthers'), including businessman and television personality Donald Trump, who would later succeed Obama as president. A number of political commentators have characterized these various claims as a racist reaction to Obama's status as the first African-American president of the United States.

citizen because he was born a dual citizen (British and American). Still others claimed that Obama was not a natural-born U.S. Other theories alleged that Obama became a citizen of Indonesia in childhood, thereby losing his U.S. Theories alleged that Obama's published birth certificate was a forgery – that his actual birthplace was not Hawaii but Kenya. Birther conspiracy theories were predominantly held by conservatives and Republicans, as well as racists. The movement falsely asserted Obama was ineligible to be President of the United States because he was not a natural-born citizen of the United States as required by Article Two of the Constitution. In response to the conspiracy theories, the White House released copies of the President's long-form birth certificate on April 27, 2011, then posted an image of it to the White House website, reaffirming that he was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii.ĭuring Barack Obama's campaign for president in 2008, throughout his presidency and afterwards, there was extensive news coverage of Obama's religious preference, birthplace, and of the individuals questioning his religious belief and citizenship – efforts eventually known as the ' birther movement', by which name it is widely referred to across media. The billboard was part of an advertising campaign by WorldNetDaily, whose web address appears on the billboard's bottom right corner. For similar challenges against other people, see Natural-born-citizen clause (United States) § Eligibility challenges.Ī 2010 billboard displayed in South Gate, California, questioning the validity of Barack Obama's birth certificate and by extension his eligibility to serve as President of the U.S.

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