Several celebrities have left the United States and moved to different countries, citing President Donald Trump and the current political climate for their departure.
Why It Matters
Before the 2016 presidential election, multiple celebrities, including singer Cher and actor Bryan Cranston, criticized Trump and said they would leave the U.S. if he won. While many remained in the U.S., some celebrities did actually move.
At least five celebrities who moved outside of the U.S. have expressed concerns about Trump’s second term or the government’s handling of political issues.
Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, AP Photo/Niall Carson and zz/KGC-11/STAR MAX/IPx
Rosie O’Donnell
Actor Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she moved to Ireland in a TikTok she posted on Tuesday.
O’Donnell moved with her 12-year-old child on January 15, five days before Trump’s presidential inauguration.
“When, you know, it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there, in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” O’Donnell said. “It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well. The personal is political.”
“I was never someone who thought I would move to another country. That’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child,” she said.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi
TMZ reported in November 2024 that former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, actor Portia de Rossi, moved to the United Kingdom. Sources told the outlet that the couple purchased the home in the Cotswolds, a countryside town two hours from London, before the election. However, the couple was “very disillusioned” with Trump’s win and wanted “to get the hell out.”
DeGeneres voiced her support of Trump’s election rival, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, on Instagram in August 2024.
DeGeneres put one of her final properties in the U.S. on the market on Tuesday, according to Realtor.com.
Minnie Driver
Actor Minnie Driver returned to London after living in Los Angeles for 27 years, The Times reported in July 2024. The outlet asked Driver if she would return to the U.S. if Trump won a second presidential term.
“If I lived in a red [Republican] state, no, I couldn’t,” she said. “But living in California, you are somewhat insulated. But do you want to go and live in a bubble? Do you run away from the fire or do you go back and help?”
She criticized the state of U.S. politics, which she described as millions of people “who really quite like a bit of a racist attitude and non-existent immigration policies and dismantling the environmental agencies. And they were always there; they weren’t created by him. He’s just a symptom, and now they’ve got a mascot.”
Sophie Turner
Game of Thrones actor Sophie Turner revealed in an October 2024 interview with Harper’s Bazaar that she had returned to her native United Kingdom.
“The gun violence, Roe v. Wade being overturned…Everything just kind of piled on. After the Uvalde [school] shooting, I knew it was time to get the f*** out of there,” Turner told the outlet.
The actor initially moved to the U.S. after marrying singer Joe Jonas. Turner and Jonas, who share two children, finalized their divorce in September 2024.
What Happens Next
While additional celebrities have expressed interest in moving outside of the U.S. amid the current political climate, it is unclear if they will depart the country.
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