Texas Judge at Citizenship Ceremony: ‘Go to Another Country’ If You Don’t Accept Trump

By Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
November 21, 2016Updated: November 21, 2016

A federal judge in Texas who was presiding over a citizenship ceremony told new U.S. citizens that if they don’t accept Donald Trump as the president-elect, they should leave the country.

“I can assure you that whether you voted for him or you did not vote for him, if you are a citizen of the United States, he is your President,” Judge John Primomo said on Thursday, KENS-TV reported.

Primomo delivered the remark in San Antonio.

He added: “He will be your President, and if you do not like that, you need to go to another country.”

He also lashed out at anti-Trump demonstrators and football players like Colin Kaepernick who kneel during the U.S. national anthem. “I detest that, because you can protest things that happen in this country; you have every right to,” Primomo said, the station reported. “You don’t do that by offending national symbols like the national anthem and the flag of the United States.”

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Those who were critical of his statements started a MoveOn.org petition to have Primomo, appointed in 1998, removed from his position.

The judge made his comments in a room at the Institute of Texan Cultures, WFAA8 reported.

He told KENS-TV that he was not trying to make a political statement, as he didn’t vote for Trump.