Prince Harry could face some consequences if he lied about his drug use on documents to enter the United States, former President Donald Trump says.
In an interview with Nigel Farage, the former British politician who now hosts the “Farage” program on the GB News network, Trump said the prince should not get special treatment if he was not truthful on a visa application about drug use, drug use that he revealed to the world his book “Spare, according to GB News.
The Heritage Foundation has sued to make Harry’s application public, saying that is the only way to know if the prince lied about his drug use. The Biden administration has resisted making the application public.
On March 7, according to Newsweek, a federal judge ordered the Department of Homeland Security to turn over the relevant documents to the court for assessment to see if they should stay sealed from the public. DHS has until March 21 to comply, Newsweek reported.
In the interview that was scheduled to be aired Tuesday night in the U.K., Farage asked Trump if Harry should be treated differently from anyone else.
“No. We’ll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they’ll have to take appropriate action,” Trump said.
“Appropriate action? Which might mean … not staying in America?” Farage asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. You’ll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago,” Trump said.
The comment is in line with past remarks Trump has made about Harry’s visa issue.
Should Harry be deported?
“I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me,” Trump said last month, according to the Daily Express
Trump told the British newspaper the royal family was “too gracious” to Harry after “what he has done.”
Trump’s newest comments came as the Department of Homeland Security told the judge hearing the Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit it needs more time to search records for Harry’s visa application documents.
DHS is seeking a two-week extension — until April 4 — for getting the documents to the judge, who will decide if the information should be made public, according to the U.K. Daily Mirror.
Nile Gardner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at the Heritage Foundation, wrote on the foundation’s website that there is more than idle curiosity at stake.
“Agree or disagree, but America takes a firm stance against illegal drug use. Anyone applying to live and work in the U.S. has to answer the question: ‘Have you ever violated, or engaged in a conspiracy to violate, any law relating to controlled substances?’” he wrote.
“Again, Harry has publicly admitted to extensive illegal drug use. What do we submit this means? That Harry seems to have received special treatment: the DHS looked the other way if the Prince answered truthfully, or it looked the other way if the Prince lied on his visa application. Either action would be wrong,” he wrote.
“Heritage’s expert witness made clear in court that if a hypothetical ‘normal’ person were to lie on such a scale and publish a book—which some claim glorifies illegal drug use—they would face immediate and harsh action from DHS. They might well be deported,” he wrote, adding, “The case is bigger than one person—it is about whether the U.S. government is following the law.
“Most Americans dislike the idea of celebrities being treated differently from anyone else, and Harry’s fame and profile makes this case the ideal window into DHS conduct. If DHS granted Harry special treatment, the implications are obvious: it has likely granted such treatment in the past to others sufficiently famous or sufficiently politically aligned, and will likely continue to do so,” he wrote.