Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, are reportedly leaving the United States and settling in the Cotswolds, England, following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
According to The Wrap, a source close to the comedian confirmed the move, which comes after the couple listed their multimillion-dollar Montecito, California, home with Riskin Partners.
The decision appears to be politically motivated, as the source cited Trump’s re-election as a major factor.
DeGeneres, who publicly supported Vice President Kamala Harris during the campaign, made headlines in September when she reposted Taylor Swift’s Instagram endorsement of Harris, adding her own caption: “This childless cat lady couldn’t agree more,” a jab at Vice President-elect J.D. Vance.
DeGeneres’ departure from the U.S. follows a tumultuous few years for the former daytime TV host. In 2020, her popular talk show faced allegations of fostering a toxic workplace environment, including claims of sexual misconduct and harassment by senior executives.
Warner Bros. conducted an internal investigation, leading to staffing changes and a written apology from DeGeneres. “On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness — no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect.
Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case,” she wrote, according to Variety.
Despite her apology, the damage to her reputation was significant. The show aired its final episode in 2022, and DeGeneres later addressed the fallout in her Netflix standup special For Your Approval, claiming she had been “kicked out of show business.”
DeGeneres and de Rossi’s reported move mirrors similar statements from other celebrities who have threatened to leave the U.S. due to Trump’s presidency.
Stars such as Cher, Sharon Stone, and Barbra Streisand have all made headlines with their vows to leave the country if Trump were to regain power.
Cher, speaking with The Guardian in 2023, described her anxiety over the prospect of another Trump term. “If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave [the country],” she said.
Similarly, Stone told the Daily Mail she was considering relocating to Italy, citing concerns about “hate and oppression” in American politics.
Barbra Streisand also voiced her intent to move abroad, stating on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that she could no longer stay in the U.S. under Trump’s leadership, with England being a possible destination.
Actress Eva Longoria has also shared her concerns about a Trump-led America, calling it a “scary place.” In an interview with Marie Claire, she expressed anxiety for Americans who lack the privilege to leave.
While Longoria clarified that her own relocation to Spain and Mexico was not directly tied to Trump, her comments added to the broader celebrity discourse surrounding the 2024 election.
For DeGeneres and de Rossi, their reported move to the English countryside marks a significant chapter in their lives, one seemingly driven by both personal and political motivations.