Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio has introduced the 'Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025', a bill that would require dual citizens to renounce any foreign citizenship and pledge exclusive allegiance to the United States. The legislation could directly impact First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron, who hold both US and Slovenian passports.
The bill states that 'an individual may not be a citizen or national of the United States while simultaneously possessing any foreign citizenship'. It would give dual citizens one year to choose between their US citizenship and a foreign one, with non-compliance resulting in automatic loss of US citizenship.
Moreno, who was born in Colombia and became a US citizen at 18, said in a statement: 'Being an American citizen is an honour and a privilege — and if you want to be an American — it’s all or nothing. It’s time to end dual citizenship for good.'
However, the bill faces constitutional hurdles. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, a US citizen cannot lose citizenship unless they willingly surrender it. The Trump administration has also pursued ending birthright citizenship, a policy currently challenged in courts.
Melania Trump, a naturalised US citizen since 2006, retains Slovenian citizenship. According to Mary Jordan’s 2020 book 'The Art of Her Deal', it was important to the first lady that Barron held a Slovenian passport and spoke the language. Jordan noted that dual citizenship allows Barron to work freely across Europe.
