The White House came to Piers Morgan's defense on Wednesday against critics of the CNN host's anti-gun views Piers Morgan Tonight / CNN

The gun control debate in the US has found a strange focus in the CNN presenter and British citizen Piers Morgan, whose aggressive calls for increased gun control in the wake of the Newtown shootings inspired the creation of a White House petition to deport him.

The petition quickly received the 25,000 signatures needed to receive a response from the White House and currently has more than 100,000 in support. The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, duly appended an official response on Wednesday with the title: "When Discussing the Second Amendment, Keep the First in Mind Too".

Carney wrote:

Let's not let arguments over the constitution's second amendment violate the spirit of its first. President Obama believes that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. However, the Constitution not only guarantees an individual right to bear arms, but also enshrines the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press – fundamental principles that are essential to our democracy. Americans may disagree on matters of public policy and express those disagreements vigorously, but no one should be punished by the government simply because he or she expressed a view on the second amendment – or any other matter of public concern.

Carney also included Obama's previous responses to calls for increased gun control that the president issued after the Newtown shootings.

Since the creation of the petition, Morgan threatened to deport himself in a column in British newspaper the Mail on Sunday.

Although I love the country as a second home and one that has treated me incredibly well, I would, as a concerned parent first – and latterly, of a one-year-old daughter who may attend an American elementary school like Sandy Hook in three years' time – seriously consider deporting myself.

Alex Jones, the radio show host and noted conspiracy theorist, who supports the petition, appeared on Morgan's CNN show Monday night. The fiery confrontation went viral, with Jones warning of a new American revolution: "1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms!"