‘Literal Foreign Interference’ GOP Officials Push Congressional Dual Citizenship Ban

House Republicans are renewing a push to enact legislation that would bar dual citizens from serving in Congress, arguing the measure would ensure lawmakers pledge allegiance solely to the United States.

“These are outside influences—this is literal foreign interference,” Rep. Randy Fine, R‑Fla., told The Daily Signal last week.

Fine reiterated the point over the weekend on X and on his “Fine Point” podcast.

“Think about it. When you’re a citizen of a country, you take an oath of allegiance to that country. How can you serve in the government of the United States if you’ve pledged allegiance to another country?” Fine wrote. “So it wouldn’t preclude you from being an American, but it would say you can’t be in Congress.”

Other proponents of the effort, including Republican congressional hopefuls Brandon Herrera of Texas’ 23rd District and Anthony Sabatini, who is seeking the GOP nomination in Florida’s 11th Congressional District, argue the proposal would weed out elected officials whose loyalties lie elsewhere.

“I oppose dual citizenship in Congress; I also oppose all foreign aid,” Sabatini told The Daily Signal. “Very few congressmen in D.C. are loyal to this country.”

“Only a handful are,” he added.

Herrera echoed that sentiment on Sunday, writing, “Crazy thought: American politicians should have allegiance to America.”

Other House members are also backing the effort. Rep. Thomas Massie, R‑Ky., has introduced separate legislation in recent months that would require members of Congress to disclose any foreign citizenships they hold.

“Dual citizens elected to the United States Congress should renounce citizenship in all other countries,” Massie said. “At a minimum, they should disclose their citizenship in other countries and abstain from votes specifically benefiting those countries. If we are going to continue to allow members of Congress to acquire and retain citizenship in other countries, they should at least be required to disclose to voters all countries of which they consider themselves to be citizens.”

In the Senate, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R‑Ohio, introduced the Exclusive Citizenship Act last fall, which would require lawmakers to forfeit any dual citizenship.

“If you apply for citizenship, one of the parts of becoming a naturalized citizen is you have to make a pledge of allegiance only to the United States of America that already exists,” Moreno said on the “Standpoint” podcast with host Gabe Groisman. “So what we’re doing is saying, ‘OK, well, if you’re making that pledge only to the U.S. on a go‑forward basis as a naturalized citizen, you also have to renounce your former citizenship.’”