[icwhatudo]

Current State Department policy reads: "Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad and U.S. diplomatic or consular facilities are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth."

interesting

[Norman Bates]

Yes, that means a foreigner can’t just show up at a US military hospital overseas and give birth to an “American” but an American family can.

[devere]

The Panama Canal Zone was unquestionably U.S. territory when John McCain was born there. It wasn’t a foreign military base like Guantanamo, it was U.S. territory like Hawaii. This silly question will hopefully never come up again!

[ReignOfError]

That’s not the issue.Inside and outside of military installations and diplomatic facilities, the Canal Zone was a US territory.

[K-oneTexas]

Interesting, yes. I don't know what the State Department is trying to do but it seems the language is specific to consular/diplomatic missions and not the US Military.

The fact remains he is a US citizen born of US citizens, his parents, who happen to be living abroad. Both parents are US citizens, and most likely came from the States before his father was posted overseas.

I find this a ridiculous notion that John McCain would not a considered a US citizen because he was born in a US Territory, which was subject to US jurisdiction at the time, the son of US citizens. He will not be disqualified to run for office.

What this line of argument is actually saying is that "Anchor Babies" are more of a citizen that children of US military families. That will not fly.

[TankerKC]

A child born on the premises of such a facility is not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth.

That's just not true.