The Trump administration, on Thursday, revived a new, harder version of the U.S. citizenship test that contains more complicated questions and specific answers as part of its wider efforts to tighten legal immigration pathways.
The 2025 civics test contains 28 new questions, most of which were on the Trump administration’s short-lived 2020 version of the test, bringing the total number of possible questions to 128. Applicants will now be required to get 12 out of 20 questions correct instead of six out of 10.
There are significant changes to the question bank with fewer one-word or simplified answers and more elaborate questions that ask “why” or “how.”
For example, the new test, a question asks applicants “why” the U.S. became involved in World War II instead of “who” the U.S. fought in World War II, which the old version did. Another question on the new test asks, “What founding document was written in 1787?” instead of “When was the Constitution written?”
While applicants do not have to answer the questions with verbatim answers provided on the test materials, they’re encouraged to.
Here is an example of five questions on the exam. (Answers at the bottom of the article)
- Name two important ideas from the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
- Why is the Electoral College important?
- The Nation’s first motto was “E Pluribus Unum.” What does that mean?
- Why did the United States enter the Persian Gulf War?
- Why do U.S. representatives serve shorter terms than U.S. senators?
The new test will be administered to those who file applications on or after October 20.
Like the 2020 version of the test, the new one removes many of the geography questions as well as questions with one-word answers.
“By ensuring only those aliens who meet all eligibility requirements, including the ability to read, write, and speak English and understand U.S. government and civics, are able to naturalize, the American people can be assured that those joining us as fellow citizens are fully assimilated and will contribute to America’s greatness,” United States Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said in a statement.
While much of the test mirrors questions from the Trump administration’s 2020 version, they have changed wording on some answers.
For example, when asked “how can people become United States citizens,” the new test includes an answer that appears to align with President Donald Trump’s definition of birthright citizenship.
One answer says, “be born in the United States, under the conditions set by the 14th Amendment,” which is a change from the answer on the 2020 test: “be born in the United States.”
Jennifer Ibañez Whitlock, a senior policy counsel at the National Immigration Law Center, told CBS News the changes “make it harder for long-time residents who contribute to this country every day to finally achieve the permanent protections that only U.S. citizenship can offer.”
Here are the answers to the above questions. Some contain multiple options.
- Equality. Liberty. Social contract. Natural rights. Limited government. Self-government.
- It decides who is elected president. It provides a compromise between the popular election of the president and congressional selection
- Out of many, one. We all become one
- To force the Iraqi military from Kuwait.
- To more closely follow public opinion.
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