Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing a very personal account of your relationship with the United States. You've been through a lot, both there and during your time in Europe.
You're right about that umbilical cord--it's been 16 years since we left the U.S., and before that I'd lived in Munich for a year. But I read the NYTimes daily (along with three other European papers) and anguish along with everybody else about the country's political trajectory.
On my father's side there's a long family history in America going back to the 17th century. My 3rd great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, my great grandfather in the Civil War, my father in World War II. My mother was the daughter of Irish immigrants, my grandmother a French-speaking Acadienne from Nova Scotia. Those family ties are strong.
That umbilical cord isn't made solely of sentiment, however. Having spent two-thirds of my working lifetime in the US I'm financially invested as well. The value of USD makes a tangible difference to us (though I'm glad to have retirement income in Euro as well), and it seems like policies are all up in the air. Will I be able to continue to vote in 2026? Will it become more difficult to access assets in the US from outside the country? Who knows, but the uncertainties of this moment focus our attention on what's happening there more than even a few years ago.
John, I am fortunate that my working life in the US was brief. I am probably entitled to about $2.50 monthly in 1988 dollars from Social Security, but decided long ago that there was no point in trying to claim that (assuming anything was left by 2030). I do not envy your situation one bit.
Your American roots are very deep. The first of my people to come over was in the late 19th century. That is one of the most beautiful things about the US: so much richness, so many stories. Every American schoolchild wrote about "My family tree" at some point; I was astonished, then saddened, when my husband said no, they never did that in school.
Interestingly Americans in Canada or perhaps more accurately Canadians of American origin were far more spiteful and angrier towards the Obama Administration and its tax evasion crackdown and wanting to see harm done to the United States(including voting for Trump to hurt the US purposefully) than many what you might call traditional expats in Europe in the 2010. I was involved in an effort in Canada to hire a high profile lawyer that represented the Hells Angels and other organized crime groups to fight Obama's tax evasion crackdown. There was a view that if Obama wanted to treat people as hard core organized criminals then the way to respond to get the same type of legal representation that represents drug cartels and other "hardened" criminals.
Even today unlike Switzerland, there essentially a don't ask don't tell policy at Canadian Banks regarding American clients caught between Canadians of American origin which are a somewhat substantial number of Canadians and the US govt(especially under Obama)
Somewhat as a result of my involvement in these campaigns I also met people like Arun Kapil and Claire Berlinski in France originally.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Carolyn. It really is such a layered topic, and I’m struck by how many of us are navigating these trade-offs quietly. I’ll be thinking about your piece for a while. And bravo for the cool photos, they brought it to life.
Powerful testimony. I'm a naturalized American, and with all the cruel shenanigans in play, I wonder if they might decide that this (and other) expats need to be de-naturalized. And then Portugal is considering extending the residency time for citizenship from five to ten years. I feel that my citizenship was a gift given to me by my parents when I was 10, and it feels odd to consider the possibility of being stripped of it. There's lots to think about, but despairing is not an option and would deprive me of joy of living here in Portugal and the new life we're forging.
Thanks for your comment, Maria. There are some who have accused me of 'throwing away' a document for which millions risk their lives. That stings. My great-grandparents and great-greats made the journey in the opposite direction to give their children the gift of US citizenship. I can never take these choices lightly.
Thank you, Caroline, for writing this. I was interested to learn about how you arrived in Switzerland. I know many Americans who renounced their US nationality because it became too complicated, not to mention too expensive, to keep it.
I would not want to travel to the US at the moment, what is happening affects me too much. Even though I'm not American, I have followed US politics for many years, and remember the elation of watching the Obamas walk through the streets when he was elected. It felt wonderful. And yes, how trivial Bill Clinton's "bad deeds" seem nowadays. I worry about friends who live there, even about people I've met on Substack, because who knows how far all this will go.
And what you wrote about your parents being brave enough to allow you to go to Europe back in the day is so true. I did the same to mine, when I went to America back in the 80s with a "bad boy". How terrified they must have been! It's hard being a parent...
Cesca, *I* worry about travelling back on my bright red passport these days! None of us could ever have guessed that travel to the US might become, how shall I say, uncertain.
What a thoughtful and insightful piece. Thank you for writing this. It’s heartbreaking watching the US turn its back on its diversity and its optimism for the future, which are the things that actually make it special, though of course still flawed.
Thank you for your words of praise, Megan; I'm really touched that this piece has affected so many readers. I think you have touched upon a crucial point: the uniquely American optimism for the future has turned into something else with a far more bitter taste. That is what makes me so sad.
Yes, he does– his first ten-year passport, so it's still valid for some time. He just turned 18 last autumn so is now permitted to renounce, should he so choose.
Thank you for this deeply thoughtful piece—I’m somewhere on the citizen/immigrant continuum. Returning to the US for a visit is a sort of out-of-body experience. And it’s horrifying to watch the degradation at a distance.
Thanks Kaila! The moral difficulties of being a US citizen abroad come and go. The ebb and flow depends a lot on one's own values, and where one is in the world. I followed legal and financial developments for 30 years, always hoping that it might become easier on paper to be a US citizen abroad, but that's a screw that has only turned in one direction.
Honest and pragmatic piece. Perhaps you’re more German after all :) I've been wondering for a while now if it isn't just my pride getting in the way that my kids have American citizenship, and if this is simply something that is much more important to me than it might be to them in the future. Someone once told me it's cute when they're young but a problem when they're older.
Überangepasst, lol. We always told ourselves that it is an advantage for our son to have US citizenship. He has nine American cousins (three in his age-grade cohort with whom he is close) and when he was small we thought: who knows, maybe he'll want to study or work there some time. Now he is 18 and has no real interest in spending a part of his life in the US. He's still kind of in the twilight zone where his citizenship(s) don't really affect anything serious (school, job, military service, finances) for him, but that is probably going to change in the next few years.
Really interesting post, I love hearing about people's backstories like this.
We share a few similarities, I've spent time in Prague and Riga and there were so many other things that I recognised - the voting process, tax kerfuffle, overwhelming supermarkets, lamenting the decline in newspapers...
Honestly, I'd be happy to renounce my US citizenship and never return if I didn't have parents living there, but I'm lucky in that I have UK and Irish citizenship.
Thanks for sharing this, Carolyn. I always had a feeling that your renunciation had to do with the tax and banking situation. I myself had been heavily involved in these issues for many years and am still involved but not as much as before. I have some great stories to tell about the reactions of different people of American origin all over the world (which were all affected by the banking crackdown led by the Obama administration to different degrees). Some even voted Trump in 2016 as a final act to stiff the United States and what they perceived as progressive "left" which wanted them to renounce.
Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing a very personal account of your relationship with the United States. You've been through a lot, both there and during your time in Europe.
You're right about that umbilical cord--it's been 16 years since we left the U.S., and before that I'd lived in Munich for a year. But I read the NYTimes daily (along with three other European papers) and anguish along with everybody else about the country's political trajectory.
On my father's side there's a long family history in America going back to the 17th century. My 3rd great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, my great grandfather in the Civil War, my father in World War II. My mother was the daughter of Irish immigrants, my grandmother a French-speaking Acadienne from Nova Scotia. Those family ties are strong.
That umbilical cord isn't made solely of sentiment, however. Having spent two-thirds of my working lifetime in the US I'm financially invested as well. The value of USD makes a tangible difference to us (though I'm glad to have retirement income in Euro as well), and it seems like policies are all up in the air. Will I be able to continue to vote in 2026? Will it become more difficult to access assets in the US from outside the country? Who knows, but the uncertainties of this moment focus our attention on what's happening there more than even a few years ago.
John, I am fortunate that my working life in the US was brief. I am probably entitled to about $2.50 monthly in 1988 dollars from Social Security, but decided long ago that there was no point in trying to claim that (assuming anything was left by 2030). I do not envy your situation one bit.
Your American roots are very deep. The first of my people to come over was in the late 19th century. That is one of the most beautiful things about the US: so much richness, so many stories. Every American schoolchild wrote about "My family tree" at some point; I was astonished, then saddened, when my husband said no, they never did that in school.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
Interestingly Americans in Canada or perhaps more accurately Canadians of American origin were far more spiteful and angrier towards the Obama Administration and its tax evasion crackdown and wanting to see harm done to the United States(including voting for Trump to hurt the US purposefully) than many what you might call traditional expats in Europe in the 2010. I was involved in an effort in Canada to hire a high profile lawyer that represented the Hells Angels and other organized crime groups to fight Obama's tax evasion crackdown. There was a view that if Obama wanted to treat people as hard core organized criminals then the way to respond to get the same type of legal representation that represents drug cartels and other "hardened" criminals.
Even today unlike Switzerland, there essentially a don't ask don't tell policy at Canadian Banks regarding American clients caught between Canadians of American origin which are a somewhat substantial number of Canadians and the US govt(especially under Obama)
Somewhat as a result of my involvement in these campaigns I also met people like Arun Kapil and Claire Berlinski in France originally.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Carolyn. It really is such a layered topic, and I’m struck by how many of us are navigating these trade-offs quietly. I’ll be thinking about your piece for a while. And bravo for the cool photos, they brought it to life.
Thank you for that greatest of compliments, Pamela: that my writing has made you think.
Powerful testimony. I'm a naturalized American, and with all the cruel shenanigans in play, I wonder if they might decide that this (and other) expats need to be de-naturalized. And then Portugal is considering extending the residency time for citizenship from five to ten years. I feel that my citizenship was a gift given to me by my parents when I was 10, and it feels odd to consider the possibility of being stripped of it. There's lots to think about, but despairing is not an option and would deprive me of joy of living here in Portugal and the new life we're forging.
Thanks for your comment, Maria. There are some who have accused me of 'throwing away' a document for which millions risk their lives. That stings. My great-grandparents and great-greats made the journey in the opposite direction to give their children the gift of US citizenship. I can never take these choices lightly.
I wish you peace and continued joy in Portugal.
Love you sis - come back anytime, stay as long as you like. And I do so love your writing.
Thanks M.
Thank you, Caroline, for writing this. I was interested to learn about how you arrived in Switzerland. I know many Americans who renounced their US nationality because it became too complicated, not to mention too expensive, to keep it.
I would not want to travel to the US at the moment, what is happening affects me too much. Even though I'm not American, I have followed US politics for many years, and remember the elation of watching the Obamas walk through the streets when he was elected. It felt wonderful. And yes, how trivial Bill Clinton's "bad deeds" seem nowadays. I worry about friends who live there, even about people I've met on Substack, because who knows how far all this will go.
And what you wrote about your parents being brave enough to allow you to go to Europe back in the day is so true. I did the same to mine, when I went to America back in the 80s with a "bad boy". How terrified they must have been! It's hard being a parent...
Thank you for a great article. xx Cesca
Cesca, *I* worry about travelling back on my bright red passport these days! None of us could ever have guessed that travel to the US might become, how shall I say, uncertain.
It's not just Switzerland, It's everywhere including a large concentration in Canada. Obama is a hated man in certain corners of Canada.
What a thoughtful and insightful piece. Thank you for writing this. It’s heartbreaking watching the US turn its back on its diversity and its optimism for the future, which are the things that actually make it special, though of course still flawed.
Thank you for your words of praise, Megan; I'm really touched that this piece has affected so many readers. I think you have touched upon a crucial point: the uniquely American optimism for the future has turned into something else with a far more bitter taste. That is what makes me so sad.
I think there is something to be said for a clean break. Does your son have his US passport?
Yes, he does– his first ten-year passport, so it's still valid for some time. He just turned 18 last autumn so is now permitted to renounce, should he so choose.
Thank you for this deeply thoughtful piece—I’m somewhere on the citizen/immigrant continuum. Returning to the US for a visit is a sort of out-of-body experience. And it’s horrifying to watch the degradation at a distance.
Horrifying is the right word, Justine. I'm glad this piece spoke to you.
Great post Caroline! I think there are a lot of US citizens living abroad feeling the same.
Thanks Kaila! The moral difficulties of being a US citizen abroad come and go. The ebb and flow depends a lot on one's own values, and where one is in the world. I followed legal and financial developments for 30 years, always hoping that it might become easier on paper to be a US citizen abroad, but that's a screw that has only turned in one direction.
And is tighter than ever these days!
Honest and pragmatic piece. Perhaps you’re more German after all :) I've been wondering for a while now if it isn't just my pride getting in the way that my kids have American citizenship, and if this is simply something that is much more important to me than it might be to them in the future. Someone once told me it's cute when they're young but a problem when they're older.
Überangepasst, lol. We always told ourselves that it is an advantage for our son to have US citizenship. He has nine American cousins (three in his age-grade cohort with whom he is close) and when he was small we thought: who knows, maybe he'll want to study or work there some time. Now he is 18 and has no real interest in spending a part of his life in the US. He's still kind of in the twilight zone where his citizenship(s) don't really affect anything serious (school, job, military service, finances) for him, but that is probably going to change in the next few years.
Katz’s deli! 😊 great post. I relate even though I’m still here. It’s nice to learn more about your history.
Thanks, Karen. Please treat yourself to a Doc Brown's celery soda and pastrami on rye as long as you're still there. None of that over here, alas.
I have never heard of celery soda but it sounds delightful and oh my goodness, what I would do for a pastrami on rye right now!
Really interesting post, I love hearing about people's backstories like this.
We share a few similarities, I've spent time in Prague and Riga and there were so many other things that I recognised - the voting process, tax kerfuffle, overwhelming supermarkets, lamenting the decline in newspapers...
Honestly, I'd be happy to renounce my US citizenship and never return if I didn't have parents living there, but I'm lucky in that I have UK and Irish citizenship.
Thanks for sharing this, Carolyn. I always had a feeling that your renunciation had to do with the tax and banking situation. I myself had been heavily involved in these issues for many years and am still involved but not as much as before. I have some great stories to tell about the reactions of different people of American origin all over the world (which were all affected by the banking crackdown led by the Obama administration to different degrees). Some even voted Trump in 2016 as a final act to stiff the United States and what they perceived as progressive "left" which wanted them to renounce.
Anyways will have more to say tomorrow.