Donald Trump has proposed an executive order to halt birthright citizenship in the US, a plan likely to run into significant legal hurdles even as it rallies the president’s base on the eve of midterm elections.

With one week to go until the critical November vote, Mr Trump told the US media outlet Axios that he had discussed the plans with the White House counsel’s office and that it was “in process” — an announcement likely to ignite enthusiasm among the president’s supporters whose votes the White House needs to retain control of the Senate and House of Representatives.