Barron and Melania Trump's US citizenship explained as MAGA ally threatens their status

Ohio MAGA senator Bernie Moreno's controversial new bill could directly impact US President Donald Trump's wife, Melania, as well as their son, Barron.

Moreno, who was born in Colombia and became a US citizen at the age of 18, has introduced a bill that would make dual nationals give up their other citizenship and submit 'exclusive allegiance' to the United States.

Such a move would leave the first lady, Melania and 19-year-old Barron, without their Slovenian passports.

Republican Moreno detailed his plan, titled 'Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025', earlier this week on Monday (1 December).

In short, the proposed bill would force anyone with dual citizenship to choose between the two countries.

A MAGA ally's new dual citizenship bill could directly impact Melania and Barron Trump (Win McNamee / Staff / Getty Images)

It read: "An individual may not be a citizen or national of the United States while simultaneously possessing any foreign citizenship.

"A citizen of the United States who, after the date of the enactment of this Act, voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship shall be deemed to have relinquished United States citizenship."

Moreno added in a news release: "It was an honour to pledge an Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America and only to the United States of America.

"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."

Under Moreno’s proposal, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department would track dual nationals, then give them a year to drop their other citizenship or surrender their American status.

Barron is a US citizen by birth (Pool / Pool / Getty Images)

And, for anyone who missed the deadline, they would lose their US citizenship automatically and be listed as a non-citizen.

This effectively means Melania and Barron would have to choose between dropping their US citizenship or their Slovenian one.

The Trump administration has already pushed harder than any previous one to curb birthright citizenship, with those efforts now tied up in court.

Melania became an official US citizen on 28 July 2006, and Trump was already a US citizen due to his birthright and his parents.

However, Barron was born on 20 March 2006, months before Melania was a US citizen.

While Barron’s mother is Slovenian-born, he's a US citizen by birth and thanks to Trump’s US status, which means his father's proposed executive order seeking to end the birthright citizenship wouldn't impact him.

An investigation launched by the Washington Post, found that Melania's US citizenship came about via a visa reserved for immigrants with 'extraordinary ability' and 'sustained national and international acclaim' citing Pulitzer Prize, Academy Award and Olympic winners as examples of those who are eligible for such a visa.