When did he go through the naturalization process?
When he was born. Contrary to what a lot of FReepers think, it IS possible to be a naturalised citizen from birth, if your citizenship derives from congressional statute.
At birth in Canada, when he was deemed a citizen by Congressional statute. Feel sorry for the guy, he’s smart and talented, but there are lots of other positions in this administration he will qualify for...just not President or Vice President.
Naturalization requires no process. It just requires a law declaring you to be citizen. A process is an option that the lawmakers may or may not choose to require.
It’s quite clear that George Washington—for example—was not a natural born citizen: He was born on British soil. He became a citizen by operation of a law, not by birth, nor by any formal “naturalization process.” But he was a naturalized citizen, nevertheless. That’s why the Constitution makes an exception regarding Presidential eligibility with respect to those who were citizens as of the moment the Constitution was ratified: No one age 35 or older was a natural born citizen in 1789.
“When did he go through the naturalization process?”
The right to acquire naturalized U.S. citizenship vested at birth and is perfected after birth by compliance with the statutory requirements. This is described in the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 and administered in the U.S. State Department Foreign Affairs Manual.
If you still have doubts, be sure to read the red text in the margins before expressing them.
Naturalization can occur at birth.