Background
On December 1, 2025 Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno, tabled his “
A pdf of the proposed legislation is available here:
Exclusive-Citizenship-Act-of-2025
The progress of the legislation (if any) may be followed here.
It was immediately understood that the Moreno bill would affect both Melania and Baron Trump, each of whom has dual U.S./Slovenian citizenship.
My comments on the proposed legislation fall into ten categories:
1. What the Bill is intended to achieve
2. What the Bill assumes about the meaning of citizenship
3. Constitutionality – Conflicts with the 14th Amendment
4. Inside Looking Out (American dual citizens living inside the United States)
5. Outside looking in (Americans Dual Citizens Abroad)
6. Effect on Green Card Holders – Will they naturalize as U.S. citizens?
7. Creating a data base of citizenship and multiple citizenships
8. Creating a situation where the laws of another country could impact who can enter politics and serve in public office in the United States
9. Effect on Internal Revenue Code 877A – Will an Exit Tax be payable if a U.S. citizen is deemed to have relinquished U.S. citizenship?
10. The Secretary Of State and the authority to make regulations
Possible conclusion:
Should the Moreno bill be enacted it would fundamentally change the nature of U.S. citizenship which already carries significant restrictions and obligations. It would certainly associate U.S. citizenship with a general loss of freedom.
It is blatantly obvious that in the 21st century that U.S. citizenship is NOT compatible with the freedom of the individual.