Prince Harry’s immigration woes in the United States have taken a new twist, with former U.S. President Donald Trump ruling out any plans to deport the self-exiled British royal. The Duke of Sussex, whose visa status has been under scrutiny due to past drug use admissions, has been the subject of legal action by the conservative Heritage Foundation. However, Trump has made it clear that he will not be pushing for Harry’s removal from the country.
“I don’t want to do that,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Post on Friday. “I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”
Trump’s remarks come amid an ongoing lawsuit in Washington, D.C., where the Heritage Foundation is seeking to uncover details of Harry’s U.S. visa application. The organization has argued that the Duke may have omitted key information regarding his past drug use, which he openly discussed in his memoir Spare. The book details his experiences with cocaine, cannabis, and psychedelic substances, raising questions about whether he was given special treatment by the Biden administration when he and his wife, Meghan Markle, relocated to California in 2020 following their dramatic exit from the British royal family, known as ‘Megxit.’
Nile Gardiner, a director at the Heritage Foundation, stressed the importance of transparency in the case. “Anyone who applies to the United States has to be truthful on their application, and it is not clear that is the case with Prince Harry,” Gardiner told the Daily Telegraph.
Despite the controversy, Trump dismissed the idea of deporting Harry, instead choosing to take a swipe at Meghan, whom he has long criticized. The former president has previously called Harry “whipped” by his wife and suggested that the prince has lost his independence under her influence. “I think poor Harry is being led around by the nose,” he remarked.
While Trump has been critical of the Sussexes, he had warm words for Prince William, Harry’s older brother and heir to the British throne. The former president revealed that he met privately with the Prince of Wales during a visit to Paris in December, where the two attended the reopening ceremony of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. “I think William is a great young man,” Trump said, further emphasizing his admiration for the future king.
The strained relationship between Trump and the Sussexes is well-documented. Meghan Markle, an outspoken critic of the former president, previously labeled him “divisive” and “misogynistic” during his tenure in the White House. In return, Trump has not hesitated to fire back, branding Meghan as a negative influence on Harry and blaming her for his estrangement from the royal family.
Meanwhile, the legal battle over Harry’s visa status rages on. The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security aims to determine whether the prince was granted preferential treatment despite his admission of drug use. U.S. immigration laws typically bar individuals who have used illegal substances from obtaining visas, unless they receive a special waiver.
Legal analysts have pointed out that if Harry did indeed fail to disclose his drug history, it could pose significant consequences. However, experts also note that high-profile figures often receive waivers or special considerations in immigration matters. The Biden administration has remained silent on the issue, refusing to comment on whether Harry was given an exemption.
Trump’s comments add another layer of political intrigue to the situation, given his ongoing rivalry with President Joe Biden. While the former president has distanced himself from the legal push to deport Harry, his remarks about Meghan are likely to fuel further media speculation about his views on the couple.
For now, Prince Harry remains in Montecito, California, where he and Meghan have built a new life away from the British monarchy. Though he appears to have dodged Trump’s wrath, the legal uncertainty surrounding his visa status ensures that his U.S. residency remains a topic of public debate. Whether the Heritage Foundation succeeds in forcing a disclosure of his immigration records remains to be seen, but one thing is certain—Prince Harry’s American adventure is far from over.
