A federal judge has reportedly been suspended from overseeing citizenship ceremonies after he told newly sworn-in U.S. citizens that they needed to accept Donald Trump as their president or “go to another country.”
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primomo was presiding over a citizenship ceremony at the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio on Thursday night when he spoke about the president-elect.
“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,” he told the new citizens. “And he will be your president and if you do not like that, you need to go to another country.”
He went on to criticize protestors who carry signs that say, “He’s not my president,” and slammed NFL players who kneel during the national anthem, according to KENS 5, a local CBS News affiliate.
Judge Primomo later told KENS 5 that he meant his words to be unifying and respectful of the office of the president, not a pro-Trump statement. He said he didn’t even vote for Mr. Trump.
“I would never say anything like that. I wasn’t trying to say anything for or against Donald Trump,” Judge Primomo told the San Antonio Express-News. “I was just trying to say something hopeful and unifying and unfortunately it was taken out of context.”
Still, the U.S. district judges at San Antonio’s federal courthouse — who appoint and oversee federal magistrate judges — issued a statement Monday saying Judge Primomo will be suspended from handling citizenship ceremonies, “and the judges are meeting with him to see how this matter can be resolved and concluded,” Express-News reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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