Conservative commentator Tucker Carlson has called for revoking the U.S. citizenship of Americans who choose to serve in foreign militaries, specifically citing those who have joined the armed forces of Israel and Ukraine.
Speaking at the Turning Point USA conference in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday, Carlson argued that U.S. citizens should not be allowed to fight for another country while maintaining their American citizenship.
“Anybody who serves in a foreign military should lose his citizenship immediately,” Carlson said during his remarks. “You can’t fight for another country and remain an American — period.”
Carlson emphasized his point by referencing the biblical phrase “no man can serve two masters,” suggesting that individuals must choose a single national loyalty.
Under current U.S. law (8 U.S.C. § 1481), Americans can lose their citizenship if they voluntarily serve in an armed force engaged in hostilities against the U.S. However, Israel and Ukraine are not considered enemy states, and the law does not prohibit serving in allied or friendly foreign forces.
Supreme Court precedents, including Afroyim v. Rusk (1967), have further limited the government’s power to revoke citizenship without an individual’s consent, making Carlson’s proposal legally complex and likely unconstitutional without significant legislative changes.
