Did Melania Trump obtain citizenship through marriage to Donald Trump or by another route?
Executive summary
Melania Trump became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006 and, according to multiple reports, continues to hold dual U.S.–Slovenian citizenship — as does her son Barron [1] [2] [3]. Sources say she described naturalization publicly (the Oath of Allegiance) and her immigration status has been clarified by her former immigration lawyer [4] [1].
1. The basic fact: naturalization, not automatic spousal citizenship
Melania Trump did not automatically become a U.S. citizen simply by marrying Donald Trump; contemporary reporting identifies her as having “become a naturalized American in 2006,” which is the pathway requiring an immigrant to complete residency and naturalization processes rather than obtaining citizenship solely through marriage [1] [4]. News outlets and books cited in reporting note her 2006 naturalization date and her public remarks about taking the Oath of Allegiance at a naturalization ceremony [1] [4].
2. How marriage relates to U.S. naturalization — context journalists use
Marriage to a U.S. citizen can shorten the residency requirement for naturalization in some cases, but the record cited in current reporting focuses on Melania’s own naturalization rather than an automatic grant of citizenship by marriage; sources discuss her immigration journey and the fact she “took the United States Oath of Allegiance,” language tied to naturalization [4]. Available sources do not outline the precise legal steps she took (visa class, green card timing) before naturalization; they only state the 2006 naturalization and her later public description of that milestone [4].
3. Dual citizenship — widely reported and politically salient
Multiple outlets report that Melania (and Barron) retain Slovenian citizenship in addition to U.S. citizenship; this dual status is repeatedly mentioned as the reason certain proposed legislation could affect them [1] [2] [3]. Coverage highlights that she is a dual national and that this fact has become a talking point in debates over proposed limits on dual nationality [1] [2].
4. Why this matters now: proposed Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025
Reporting centers the renewed attention on Melania’s citizenship because Sen. Bernie Moreno introduced the “Exclusive Citizenship Act of 2025,” which would require people with foreign citizenship to renounce it or potentially lose U.S. citizenship — a proposal that would directly implicate dual nationals like Melania and Barron if enacted [2] [3]. Coverage also notes constitutional questions; longstanding precedent makes involuntary loss of citizenship legally fraught, a point raised by Melania’s former immigration attorney in response to the bill [1] [2].
5. Competing viewpoints in the sources
Proponents of the bill frame it as ensuring “exclusive allegiance” and national loyalty; critics — including Melania’s former immigration lawyer cited in Newsweek — argue the bill misunderstands family realities, raises constitutional issues, and would be practically and legally difficult to implement [1] [2]. News outlets emphasize both the sponsor’s stated intent (“if you want to be an American, it’s all or nothing”) and the counterargument that courts protect citizens from involuntary loss of nationality [1] [3].
6. What the sources don’t say — gaps readers should note
Available reporting in the provided sources does not detail Melania’s exact immigration visa categories, the timing of any green-card status, or the step‑by‑step legal basis for her 2006 naturalization beyond the published date and her public statement about taking the oath [4] [1]. Sources do not claim she gained citizenship solely because of marriage; they describe a naturalization event in 2006 and note dual citizenship without laying out the full administrative history [1] [4].
7. Bottom line for readers
Contemporary reporting clearly identifies Melania Trump as a naturalized U.S. citizen (naturalized in 2006) who also retains Slovenian citizenship; she did not simply obtain U.S. citizenship by default through marriage, and recent political proposals to end dual citizenship have refocused attention on her status [1] [4] [2]. Legislative proposals could change how dual citizenship is treated, but sources emphasize legal obstacles and constitutional concerns raised by critics of the bill [1] [2].