A Republican senator from Ohio has introduced legislation that would force millions of Americans with dual citizenship to choose between the United States and their country of origin — a proposal that could directly affect First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron Trump.
Sen. Bernie Moreno plans to introduce the Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, which would require dual citizens to pledge exclusive allegiance to the United States or forfeit their American citizenship. The bill would eliminate the longstanding practice of holding citizenship in multiple countries simultaneously.
Moreno, who was born in Colombia and became a U.S. citizen at 18 after renouncing his Colombian citizenship, framed the legislation as a matter of national loyalty. “Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilege — and if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing,” he said in announcing the bill on Monday, December 1, 2025.
The legislation would establish enforcement mechanisms through the State Department and Department of Homeland Security, creating databases to track dual citizens across the country. Under the proposal, individuals holding citizenship in the United States and another nation would have one year to decide which citizenship to keep.
Those who fail to comply within the deadline would automatically lose their U.S. citizenship and be recorded as non-citizens under immigration law. The bill represents one of the most dramatic proposed changes to American citizenship policy in decades.
Among those who would be directly affected are Melania Trump and Barron Trump, who both hold dual U.S. and Slovenian citizenship. Melania Trump, who moved to the U.S. in 1996, obtained her U.S. citizenship in July 2006. She is the only first lady to become a naturalized citizen.
The first lady filed paperwork for Barron’s dual citizenship, and both have kept their Slovenian passports, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mary Jordan’s book “The Art of Her Deal.” Barron Trump is 19 years old.
Jordan reported that Melania and Barron remain dual citizens, with the first lady securing the dual status to provide her son with additional opportunities in Europe. Having Slovenian citizenship allows easier work access and simplifies business establishment and property inheritance abroad.
Moreno defended his proposal by arguing that dual citizenship creates “conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.” The Ohio senator said requiring Americans to choose one allegiance would strengthen national unity and eliminate potential security concerns.
The legislation faces significant constitutional obstacles. The 14th Amendment establishes that U.S. citizens cannot lose citizenship unless willingly surrendered. This protection was reinforced in 1967 and has guided citizenship law for nearly six decades.
Legal experts have raised questions about whether Congress can compel citizens to renounce citizenship under threat of losing their American status. The constitutional provision protecting citizenship rights would likely trigger legal challenges if the bill advances.
Currently, American law permits citizens to hold U.S. citizenship alongside citizenship in their home country without requiring an exclusive choice. Millions of Americans maintain ties to their countries of origin through dual citizenship, a practice that has become increasingly common as global mobility has expanded.
Under Moreno’s proposal, dual citizens would need to submit formal documentation to either the State Department, renouncing their foreign citizenship, or to the Department of Homeland Security, indicating their intent to surrender U.S. citizenship. The agencies would develop systems to identify and monitor compliance among dual citizens nationwide.
The bill would create a one-year deadline for all existing dual citizens to make their choice after the law takes effect. Those who voluntarily or automatically lose U.S. citizenship would be treated as foreign nationals under immigration law going forward.
Melania Trump obtained her U.S. citizenship through an EB-1 visa, which is designated for immigrants with “extraordinary ability” and “sustained national and international acclaim.”
The timing of Moreno’s proposal creates an awkward political situation for the Trump administration. While the president-elect has championed restrictive immigration policies throughout his political career, the senator’s bill would directly affect his wife and youngest son.
The White House has not commented on the legislation or whether the first lady and Barron Trump would comply if the bill became law. The proposal adds a new dimension to ongoing debates about immigration policy and national identity.
Moreno’s bill represents the latest congressional attempt to restrict dual citizenship. Previous efforts in the House have sought to require members of Congress to disclose foreign citizenship on candidacy statements or prohibit dual citizens from serving in Congress entirely.
The senator emphasized his personal experience in announcing the legislation, noting that becoming an American citizen at 18 and pledging an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America was one of the greatest honors of his life.
The proposal arrives as immigration policy remains a central focus of political debate. The Trump administration has pursued various measures to tighten immigration controls.
The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025 would mark a fundamental shift in how the United States approaches citizenship for naturalized Americans and their children. Whether the legislation gains traction in Congress remains uncertain, particularly given the constitutional questions it raises and its potential impact on the first family.
