Celebrities Who Left the U.S. for Political Reasons
Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi
In late November 2024, TheWrap reported that comedian Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, had left their Montecito home for the Cotswolds, England. The couple’s move to the countryside was reportedly triggered by Donald Trump’s re-election, with a source claiming they are “never coming back.”
Reps for DeGeneres and de Rossi did not respond to requests for comment.
Rosie O’Donnell
Rosie O’Donnell confirmed in a recent TikTok video that she moved from the U.S. to Ireland with her youngest daughter, Dakota. The actor and talk show host relocated on January 15, just days before Trump’s inauguration.
“I never thought I would move to another country, but I decided it was the best choice for me and my 12-year-old child,” O’Donnell said.
With Irish ancestry, O’Donnell is currently in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship. While she admitted missing her four other children and friends, she said she would remain in Ireland for now.
“When all citizens in America have equal rights, that’s when we will consider coming back.”
Sophie Turner
British actress Sophie Turner, known for Game of Thrones, previously lived in the U.S. with her ex-husband Joe Jonas and their two daughters. After their divorce in 2023, Turner moved back to West London.
In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in October 2024, Turner revealed that U.S. politics played a significant role in her decision to leave.
“The gun violence, Roe v. Wade being overturned… Everything just piled on. After the Uvalde shooting, I knew it was time to get out.”
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand has long been vocal about her political views. In a 2016 interview with Australia’s 60 Minutes, she expressed her disappointment over Trump’s election, saying, “I’m either coming to your country or Canada.”
Though she never officially left the U.S., she did criticize Trump in her 2018 album Walls and stated in a 2023 interview with Stephen Colbert that she might leave if he won a second term.
“I can’t live in this country if he becomes president,” she said, adding that England would likely be her destination.
Despite these comments, an Instagram post from January 2025 suggests she still resides in Northern California.
Cher
Cher has repeatedly threatened to leave the U.S. due to Trump’s presidency. In 2016, Page Six reported that she joked, “I’m going to have to leave the planet.”
In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, she reiterated her stance:
“I almost got an ulcer last time. If he gets in again, who knows? This time I will leave.”
However, as of early 2025, there’s no indication that Cher has followed through on this statement.
Laverne Cox
Following the 2024 election, Orange Is the New Black star Laverne Cox discussed her concerns for the transgender community on the Just for Variety podcast.
She revealed that she and some friends were researching potential relocation spots in Europe and the Caribbean.
“I don’t want to be in too much fear, but I’m scared,” Cox admitted. “As a public figure, I feel like I could be targeted.”
Lena Dunham
At the 2016 Matrix Awards, Girls creator Lena Dunham vowed to leave the U.S. if Trump won.
“I know a lot of people have been threatening to do this, but I really will,” she said.
However, after the election, Dunham walked back her statement.
“It’s easy to joke about moving to Canada, but it’s harder to stay and fight,” she wrote on Instagram.
Dunham later moved to London, though in a 2024 New Yorker interview, she stated her decision was based on work opportunities rather than politics.
