A new legislative effort in the United States aimed at abolishing dual nationality has created an unexpected political dilemma, inadvertently placing former First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron in its crosshairs. The proposal, championed by a Republican senator and staunch MAGA ally, demands exclusive allegiance to America, a move that would directly impact the Slovenian-American citizenship status of the former first family members.
The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025: A Push for Singular Allegiance
Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio is spearheading the controversial Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025. The core mandate of this bill is straightforward yet drastic: it seeks to terminate the practice of dual citizenship entirely in the United States. Under its provisions, Americans currently holding more than one passport would be given a one-year ultimatum. They must formally renounce any foreign nationality or face the revocation of their American citizenship.
Moreno, who was born in Colombia and later renounced his Colombian citizenship, frames this as a fundamental issue of loyalty. In an interview with Fox News, he shared his personal journey, stating, “One of the greatest honours of my life was when I became an American citizen at 18, the first opportunity I could do so.” He emphasized the gravity of the pledge, adding, “It was an honour to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and only the United States of America... if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing.” Enforcement would be handled by the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), utilizing a new tracking system to monitor dual nationals.
How Melania and Barron Trump Enter the Fray
Senator Moreno seemingly did not anticipate that his proposal would affect prominent figures within his own political sphere. Melania Trump, born in Slovenia, naturalised as a US citizen in 2006, making her the only first lady in history to have done so. According to a 2024 biography, The Art of Her Deal by journalist Mary Jordan, both Melania and her son Barron have maintained their Slovenian passports.
Jordan revealed that Melania personally filed the necessary paperwork for Barron to obtain Slovenian citizenship, as it was not automatically conferred. “She did that to give her son options,” Jordan explained, noting that a Slovenian passport would facilitate Barron's ability to work, study, and inherit property in Europe with ease. This conscious decision now places them at the centre of a debate about national loyalty, should Moreno's bill become law.
Potential Ramifications and the Road Ahead
The introduction of this bill highlights a growing debate within certain political quarters about identity and allegiance in a globalised world. Proponents like Senator Moreno argue that dual citizenship creates inherent “conflicts of interest and divided loyalties.” Currently, US law does not force citizens to choose between nationalities.
The potential consequences of the Exclusive Citizenship Act are far-reaching. It would not only affect the Trumps but also millions of other Americans with ties to other countries through birth or descent. The bill mandates a stark choice: relinquish foreign ties or lose American status. As this legislation prepares for introduction, it sparks a complex conversation about immigration, identity, and what it means to be American in the 21st century, with a former first family unexpectedly finding itself part of the case study.
