A Republican proposal to outlaw dual citizenship has triggered immediate political and legal fallout in Washington, as the bill would apply to First Lady Melania Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk and an estimated five million Americans. The Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025, introduced by Senator Bernie Moreno on 1 December, prohibits "dual or multiple citizenship" and requires affected citizens to resolve their status within 12 months or face automatic loss of U.S. citizenship.
The measure lands at a politically awkward moment for the White House. Melania Trump, who holds U.S. and Slovenian citizenship, would be required to renounce her foreign passport, according to her immigration lawyer Michael Wildes, while her son Barron could also be affected because of his Slovenian heritage. Musk, who holds American, Canadian and South African citizenship, would be forced to relinquish two passports if he wanted to remain a U.S. citizen.
The bill's structure makes the consequences explicit. Individuals must either submit proof of foreign-citizenship renunciation to the Secretary of State or formally surrender their U.S. citizenship to the Secretary of Homeland Security. Those who do not act within the mandated window "would be deemed to have voluntarily relinquished" their U.S. citizenship, rendering them foreign nationals under immigration law and potentially subject to visa rules or removal proceedings.
The proposal also prevents future dual-citizenship acquisition: any American who gains a new foreign nationality after enactment would automatically lose their U.S. passport. Moreno, himself a naturalised citizen born in Colombia, framed the bill as a matter of loyalty. "It was an honour to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and ONLY to the United States of America," he said, adding, "Being an American citizen is an honour and a privilege-and if you want to be an American, it's all or nothing."
Democrats Abroad and expatriate-rights advocates say the measure would destabilize the lives of as many as 500,000 to 5.7 million Americans. The group called the proposal "unconstitutional," citing longstanding Supreme Court precedent limiting Congress's ability to strip citizenship without the individual's voluntary intent.
The legislation also exposes high-net-worth Americans to the IRS Exit Tax if they opt to surrender their citizenship. Under current law, a "covered expatriate"-anyone with a net worth of $2 million or more-is taxed as if they sold all assets the day before renunciation. Unrealized gains above an inflation-adjusted threshold are treated as taxable profit, leaving wealthy dual citizens facing substantial liabilities.
The political implications extend beyond tax and immigration questions. The bill targets the First Lady's status directly, raising questions about whether President Trump would defend her right to retain her Slovenian nationality or support a hardline position requiring "exclusive" allegiance. It also places Musk, a central ally to the administration across technology, manufacturing and space policy, in the crosshairs of a Republican-sponsored restriction.
