Trump questions Rubio's eligibility

By Eliza Collins

02/21/16 10:36 AM EST
Updated 02/21/16 12:18 PM EST

Donald Trump is now raising questions about Marco Rubio’s ability to legally run for president.

On Saturday, Trump retweeted a tweet that suggested the Florida senator was not a citizen, George Stephanopoulos asked him about it on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday morning.

Rubio was born in Florida on May 28, 1971. His parents had come to the United States from Cuba in 1950s. Trump retweeted a tweet on Saturday that suggested both Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were ineligible to be president.

There is a lawsuit pending in Broward County, Florida, challenging the eligibility of both Cruz and Rubio — Cruz because of where he was born, Rubio because of where his parents were born.

“I think the lawyers have to determine that that — and not— it was a retweet, not so much with Marco. I'm not really that familiar with Marco's circumstances,” Trump said Sunday morning.

“But then why retweet it?” Stephanopoulos asked.

“Because I'm not sure. I mean, let people make their own determination. I know Ted is being now — I think he's being sued by somebody having nothing to do with me, by the way,” Trump said.

“You're really not sure that Marco Rubio is eligible to run for president? You're really not sure?” Stephanopoulos asked.

“I don't know. I really — I've never looked at it, George. I honestly have never looked at it. As somebody said, he's not. And I retweeted it. I have 14 million people between Twitter and Facebook and Instagram and I retweet things, and we start dialogue and it's very interesting,” Trump said.

The billionaire has threatened to sue Cruz over his eligibility to run for president. Cruz, who was born in Canada to a mother who was an American citizen, has welcomed it.

Later on "This Week," Rubio brushed off Trump's claims.

"Look, this is a pattern. This is a game he plays. He says something that's edgy and outrageous and then the media flocks and covers that and then no one else can get any coverage on anything else," Rubio said. "And that worked when there were 15 people running for president. It's not going to work anymore.

"I'm going to spend zero time on his interpretation of the Constitution with regards to eligibility."

Marc Caputo contributed to this article.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/0...ibility-219586