Claims suggest Karoline Leavitt stated, 'You are either a US citizen or not.' Here is the information we have

In early December 2025, online discussions suggested that White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made remarks about dual citizenship in the United States. Users on platforms such as Threads, X, and Facebook shared posts claiming Leavitt said, "You're either a U.S. citizen or not. You can't be a U.S. citizen and a citizen of another country."

Some commentators highlighted that figures like First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and Slovenia, questioning the validity of the alleged statement.

However, no credible evidence confirms that Leavitt publicly made this comment. Searches on Google, DuckDuckGo, Bing, and Yahoo returned only social media posts quoting the statement, with no reputable news sources reporting it. A review of December 2025 White House press briefings found no record of Leavitt making such remarks.

The statement may have been inspired by the "Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025," a bill introduced by Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio in December 2025. Moreno's website quoted him saying, "Being an American citizen is an honor and a privilegeand if you want to be an American, it's all or nothing. It's time to end dual citizenship for good." Newsweek noted that Moreno, born in Colombia, had renounced his Colombian citizenship.

The purported quote attributed to Leavitt appeared to suggest the Trump administration supported Moreno's bill, though no official White House comment on the legislation had been made as of this report. Trump had endorsed Moreno in his 2024 Senate campaign, and the administration's stringent immigration policies may have contributed to the belief that Leavitt could have made such a statement.

The proposed bill would require individuals holding dual citizenship with the U.S. and another country to either renounce the foreign citizenship with the Secretary of State or renounce U.S. citizenship with the Secretary of Homeland Security within one year of the bills enactment, if passed.

Current U.S. immigration law defines a "national of the United States" as either a U.S. citizen or a person who, while not a citizen, owes permanent allegiance to the U.S. The Department of State clarifies that U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals and that U.S. law does not require citizens to give up foreign citizenship. Citizens may acquire foreign nationality without risking their U.S. citizenship.

Analysis: Unverified Claims on Dual Citizenship Remarks

The recent social media posts attributing a strict dual citizenship statement to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lack any verifiable source. Searches across multiple search engines and a review of December 2025 press briefings show no record of Leavitt making such comments.

The confusion may stem from the introduction of the "Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025" by Senator Bernie Moreno, which promotes ending dual citizenship. Moreno’s own public statements emphasize renouncing foreign citizenship to fully embrace American nationality, potentially influencing social media narratives.

It is important to distinguish between official government statements and social media claims. No formal White House comment supports the idea that Leavitt endorsed Moreno's bill. Current U.S. law allows dual citizenship, and individuals are not required to renounce foreign citizenship to maintain U.S. nationality.

Readers should treat the circulated quote as unverified and consider the broader legislative context rather than assuming the administration has taken a new legal position on dual citizenship.

Sources:

• Posts claim Karoline Leavitt said, 'You're either a US citizen or not.' Here's what we know