# Have any U.S. citizens been the (legitimate) head of state of another country? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 8, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400 "2009-01-08T17:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/1 "2009-01-08T17:45:18Z")
Sam Houston would qualify I suppose, and arguably Jefferson Davis (whether the CSA was a separate nation is more a Great Debate that I’d rather not go into here), but I was thinking more of ruling on what is now foreign soil. There have been U.S. natives who were the effective power in a country for a season (e.g. William Walker in Nicaragua), but have any been the actual head of state or prime minister or otherwise legitimately acknowledged “head honcho” of another nation? I’ve read that Winston Churchill was an honorary U.S. citizen and even had an honorary U.S. passport. Was he considered a dual national when he was born by virtue of his American mother, and if so was he ever required to renounce U.S. citizenship to hold office in the U.K.? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/2 "2009-01-08T17:49:41Z")
[Grace Kelly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Kelly) comes to mind ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/3 "2009-01-08T17:53:39Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Grace Kelly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Kelly) comes to mind If royalty counts, then [Queen (Dowager) Noor of Jordan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Noor_of_Jordan) (nee Lisa Najeeb Halaby of D.C. [birthplace], L.A., MI, and other parts of the U.S.) would as well. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/4 "2009-01-08T17:57:34Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Grace Kelly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Kelly) comes to mind > [@Sampiro](#): > > If royalty counts, then [Queen (Dowager) Noor of Jordan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Noor_of_Jordan)would as well. Being married to a head of state does not make you a head of state, even if you have the title of “Princess” or “Queen”. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/5 "2009-01-08T17:58:44Z")
[Golda Meir](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golda_Meir), assuming she became a naturalized US citizen after emigrating here, and before moving to Palestine. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/6 "2009-01-08T18:02:27Z")
Benjamin Netanyahu, born in Tel Aviv, was raised near Philadelphia and may be at least a dual citizen of the US. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/7 "2009-01-08T18:07:15Z")
An Israeli prime minister is a head of government, not a head of state. Israel has a president, too. Presidents Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania and Toomas Ilves of Estonia are both former U.S. citizens. Churchill was a British subject at birth; he was named an honorary citizen of the U.S. by Act of Congress in 1963, after he was out of office. I saw the certificate and a small exhibit about the White House Rose Garden ceremony (which his son attended for him) when I visited Blenheim. Don’t think a U.S. passport was issued to him, though. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/8 "2009-01-08T18:16:23Z")
[Toomas Hendrik Ilves](http://aftermathnews.wordpress.com/2007/04/05/former-us-citizen-elected-president-of-estonia-and-vows-to-promote-estonia-in-european-union-and-nato/), President of Estonia, had US citizenship, though he resigned it to become foreign minister before being elected. [Valdas Adamkus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdas_Adamkus), President of Lithuania, was also a US citizen (and formerly worked for the EPA. ETA. Beaten to the punch, but the links may be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/9 "2009-01-08T18:27:26Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > An Israeli prime minister is a head of government, not a head of state. Israel has a president, too. > > Presidents Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania and Toomas Ilves of Estonia are both former U.S. citizens. > > Churchill was a British subject at birth; he was named an honorary citizen of the U.S. by Act of Congress in 1963, after he was out of office. I saw the certificate and a small exhibit about the White House Rose Garden ceremony (which his son attended for him) when I visited Blenheim. Don’t think a U.S. passport was issued to him, though. Would a UK prime minister be a head of government (not state) too? Since he was mentioned in the OP, I think prime ministers should be considered for our purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/10 "2009-01-08T18:30:11Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Would a UK prime minister be a head of government (not state) too? Since he was mentioned in the OP, I think prime ministers should be considered for our purposes. Yes, the PM is the head of government in the UK. The Queen is the head of state. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/11 "2009-01-08T18:31:13Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > An Israeli prime minister is a head of government, not a head of state. Israel has a president, too. From the OP: > [@](#): > > but have any been the actual head of state or **prime minister** or otherwise legitimately acknowledged “head honcho” of another nation? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/12 "2009-01-08T18:50:17Z")
Ireland’s former President/Prime Minister Eamon Da Valera, was born in New York City to a Spanish father and an Irish mother. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/13 "2009-01-08T18:56:37Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > From the OP… Right you are. I was looking at the thread title. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/14 "2009-01-08T19:59:46Z")
Queen Liliuokalani was a U.S. citizen following her deposition, the Republic of Hawaii having been annexed to the U.S. as was intended by its founders. Kind of in the same situation as Sam Houston (didn’t the Republic of Texas have a couple of other presidents during its 15 years of existence?). I believe that every president of the Philippines down to Corazon Aquino was a U.S. citizen prior to 1946; I’m unsure of who may have held office since. ---
**Author:** ![MikeS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MikeS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeS)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/15 "2009-01-08T20:05:52Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ve read that Winston Churchill was an honorary U.S. citizen and even had an honorary U.S. passport. Was he considered a dual national when he was born by virtue of his American mother, and if so was he ever required to renounce U.S. citizenship to hold office in the U.K.? When Churchill was born in 1874, [the law only allowed fathers to “transmit” citizenship to their children, not mothers.](http://www.americanlaw.com/citabrd.html) This was changed in 1934. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/16 "2009-01-08T21:18:54Z")
Hawaii was a monarchy before becoming one of the United States. It’s the only State with a royal palace, I think. Did Hawaii have a monarch who personally became a citizen during this transition? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/17 "2009-01-08T21:52:37Z")
[How about Liberia?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberia) It was started by freed slaves, so depending upon how you want to figure it, there might have been one US citizen leader of the country. One of the Somali warlords is from the US (not sure of his citizen status, however, but he _did_ serve in the US Army prior to becoming a warlord). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Punkyova](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@The\_Punkyova](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Punkyova)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/18 "2009-01-08T23:45:59Z")
[Janet Jagan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Jagan) has been both president and prime minister of Guyana. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/19 "2009-01-09T10:47:21Z")
astorian writes: \> Ireland’s former President/Prime Minister Eamon Da Valera, was born in New \> York City to a Spanish father and an Irish mother. For what it’s worth, recent research indicates that Juan de Valera, Eamon’s supposed father, didn’t exist: > **[Éamon de Valera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89amon_de_Valera)** > > Éamon de Valera\[a\]\[b\] (/ˈeɪmən ˌdɛvəˈlɛərə, -ˈlɪər-/, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Irish: \[ˈeːmˠən̪ˠ dʲɛ ˈwalʲəɾʲə\]; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was an Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governmen... > **[Catherine Coll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Coll)** > > Catherine (Kate) Wheelwright (née Coll; 21 December 1856 – 12 June 1932) was the mother of Irish statesman and politician Éamon de Valera, who served as President of Ireland and Taoiseach. She was a nurse by profession. > Catherine Coll was born in Bruree, County Limerick. She emigrated on the SS Nevada to New York City, New York, in 1879. She first took a job with a wealthy French family that was living in Manhattan. This is where she allegedly met Juan Vivion de Valera (born 1854), a Spanish ... It’s more likely that his mother became pregnant outside of marriage and made up a marriage to a non-existent person. There’s no proof in any records that Juan de Valera existed. Eamon was sent back to Ireland and was raised by relatives there. He never lived with his mother after that point. She married another man and had two children. She spent most of the rest of her life in Rochester, New York. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400/20 "2009-01-09T20:16:22Z")
I do know that Vaira Freiberga, the former president of Latvia, was forced (by Latvia) to renounce her Canadian citizenship before becoming the president. Incidentally, the head of state of Canada (also of Australia, New Zealand, Barbados, and doubtless other places too) is not a Canadian citizen (nor Aussie, NZ, Bajan). But I think Liberia would be a good example. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-any-u-s-citizens-been-the-legitimate-head-of-state-of-another-country/480400.md?page=2)