Piers Morgan
Piers Morgan called Larry Pratt "stupid" on his CNN show in regards to his views on guns in the US (CNN)

A petition has been launched to have Piers Morgan deported from the US after he launched a "hostile attack" on the American Constitution.

The petition on the White House website reached its target of 25,000 signatures in just three days, meaning the Obama administration must respond to it.

The CNN television presenter spoke out against guns in the US in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre on 14 December.

Morgan interviewed the director of Gun Owners of America on his current affairs show the following week.

During the interview, Larry Pratt said it was "incomprehensible" that Morgan would rather have people be victims of crime than be able to defend themselves with guns. To this, Morgan replied: "You're an unbelievably stupid man aren't you?"

He added that Pratt was a "dangerous man espousing dangerous nonsense" and told him: "You shame your country."

Following the show, Morgan said he was "seething" and that he could not understand people who think the answer to gun violence is more guns.

The White House petition was launched on 21 December, two days after the interview. It says Morgan's attack on the 'right to bear arms' is reason enough to have the presenter deported.

petition
Obama must now respond to the petition because it has got over 25,000 signatures (Whitehouse.gov)

It says: "British citizen and CNN television host Piers Morgan is engaged in a hostile attack against the US Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment.

"We demand that Mr Morgan be deported immediately for his effort to undermine the Bill of Rights and for exploiting his position as a national network television host to stage attacks against the rights of American citizens."

At present (24 December) the petition has over 31,000 signatures.

However, Morgan has shown no concern over the petition, noting that America's First Amendment - the freedom of speech - protects him any backlash about his comments about the Second Amendment.

He said: "Ironic US gun rights campaign to deport me for 'attacking 2nd Amendment rights' - is my opinion not protected under 1st Amendment rights?"

In the early stages of the petition, he said: "6,600 Americans have currently signed the petition to deport me - meaning 311,993,400 clearly want me to stay. Thank you.

Later, as more people signed, he added: "Just 4821 signatures needed to take my deportation petition to the point Obama has to respond. I urge you to sign."

Morgan also responded to a Twitter user who told the presenter to "go back to England you freedom hating douchebag. Why don't you want to protect your family with firearms?" To this Morgan asked: "Like Mrs Lanza did?"

Last week, the National Rifle Association made a statement in response to the Sandy Hook shootings. It said that to protect children, armed officers were needed in every school.