Did celebrites leave the US because Trump was elected?

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Many celebrities did leave the U.S. – but did so for a lot of reasons have nothing to do with Trump’s election. Many had bought properties or even moved well before the election of Trump in late 2024.

The media, though, ran numerous stories based on the “correlation equals causation” fallacy. Almost all those stories were untrue.

Are Celebrities Leaving the US Because Trump Was Elected?

From media reports, it sounds like celebrities fled the country after the election.

But those reports turned out to be fake news.

Eva Longoria, Moved to Spain years ago

For example, Eva Longoria Moved Her Family Out of “Dystopian” United States because of Trump.

“I’m privileged. I get to escape and go somewhere. Most Americans aren’t so lucky,” the actress said of her choice to leave.

This was widely reported but is not true.

She bought a home in Spain in 2023 AND MOVED IN 2023 and this was publicly reported in 2023 –> Eva Longoria moves to Spain with her husband and son: the reasons for her move

One of these fake news articles is from the BBC: Eva Longoria says her family no longer lives in ‘dystopian’ US

A few days after the fake news stories, Longoria issued a statement clarifying she has not moved abroad because of Trump: Eva Longoria Did Not Move Out of the U.S. Because of Election, Donald Trump

The story, like so many of the “I moved abroad” stories says the U.S. is a terrible place to live. Eva Longoria reveals reason why she’s moved her family out of the United States

She reportedly has Spanish citizenship, and her husband is the President of Televisa, the largest media company in Latin American and he is a citizen of Mexico. As Ibero-Americans they have immigration privilege into Spain. They have homes in both Spain and Mexico.

Robert de Niro, Prior dual citizenship

Is reportedly moving to France after the election of Donald Trump. He is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Italy (hence, the EU). In 1997, he was awarded the French Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour), which when given to foreign nationals, provides an accelerated path to French citizenship as well. He has an estate in the EU, pre-dating Donald Trump.

Richard Gere, Residency via Marriage

Announces he is moving to Europe because Trump – except he announced in April 2024 they were moving to Spain and said they bought their home in Spain earlier in 2024, having nothing to do with Trump. His wife is a citizen of Spain and that is why they moved to Spain in 2024. .

Ellen DeGeneres, Already owned home in England

Ellen DeGeneres & Portia de Rossi Move to England After Trump Election Win

Update: They are moving back to the United States – Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi Returning To California. Has bought another home in California: Ellen DeGeneres’ $27m purchase near Prince Harry – just 1 year after fleeing to the Cotswolds

She already owned a home in England, and her spouse, Portia de Rossi, has Australian citizenship. The visa granting them residency in the UK is not specified; however, Portia was born in Australia in 1973, and Commonwealth citizens from Australia, born before 1983, and if one of the parents had UK citizenship (her mother has English ancestry), then Portia is eligible for “right of abode” residency in the UK. Marriage may then provide visa access to DeGeneres.

Bruce Springsteen, Right of descent Ancestry

His wife has an Irish mother and a father with recent Italian ancestry. That gives his wife a right of descent ancestry citizenship in both Ireland and Italy (both are part of the EU). It is unknown if she has pursued that option, but it would get them residency visas.

Tom Cruise, Residency via Marriage

He did not move to the UK because of Trump (nor did he claim to do that); he moved five years ago. His wife is a Russian citizen with residency in the UK, which besides his being a famous and highly successful actor, eased his residency visa for the UK. Some social media posts implied he lived in Europe because of Trump.

Kristen Stewart

Actress Kristen Stewart says she wants to ditch US, make films in Europe, then ‘shove them down the throat of the American people’ | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com

“Actress Kristen Stewart has said that she is planning on moving out of the US, so she can go to Europe and then make movies from the continent, so she can “shove them down the throat of the American people.”

She has amassed $70 million in assets as a result of her oppression in the United States.

Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors, Right of Descent Ancestry

US film stars Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors to become Guinea citizens after DNA tests

“Husband and wife movie stars Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have travelled to Guinea, where the US couple are due to be granted citizenship after tracing their ancestry to the West African nation through DNA testing.” They did not claim to be moving because of Trump.

Brad Pitt, possibly via future marriage

He may move to Europe. His girlfriend is a European citizen and graduate of the University of Geneva. More here.

George Clooney, Residency via Marriage, Dual citizenship

Already lives in Europe and says Europe is much better than the United States (page down). He owns homes in California, New York, Italy, England, France and Mexico. His wife is a citizen of the UK and Lebanon, graduate of Oxford and NYU, and is licensed to practice law in the UK and the U.S., and at The Hague in The Netherlands. He made his wealth from being an American citizen, living and working in the U.S. and now says the U.S. is an awful country. He’s not subject to as much celebrity worship in France and can live a more normal life, which is good for his kids. See George Clooney Says Raising His Kids in France Is ‘Much Better’ Than in the U.S.

In 2026, France granted him, his wife and kids French citizenship.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, Right of Descent Ancestry

May move to Europe but not because of the election: Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have ‘had it with Hollywood’, considering move to Europe to evade Diddy backlash: Report | Hollywood – Hindustan Times. Mila Kunis is Ukranian. Kutcher has Irish ancestry that may include a right of descent citizenship in Ireland.

Rosie O’Donnell, Right of Descent Ancestry

Rosie O’Donnell Confirms Move to Ireland, Will Return to U.S. ‘When It’s Safe for All Citizens to Have Equal Rights’

She already has a right of descent citizenship privilege in Ireland: “She said that she’s “in the process” of getting Irish citizenship as her grandparents hail from the country, before expanding on the reasoning behind her move.“

Sophie Turner, Already a UK citizen

Celebrities Who Left the US for Political Reasons: Rosie O’Donnell, More – Business Insider

She was already a UK citizen. Duh.

Other Moves Not Connected to Politics

Christina Milian, Residency via marriage

“”My husband is French, and we’ve been together for over seven or eight years,” Christina, who is married to singer Matt Pokora, said on a November 2024 episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show. “And for the last three or four years we were commuting back and forth every six months.”

Stevie Wonder, Dual Citizenship

Granted Ghana citizenship in 2024. Ghana grants citizenship to black Americans under a program they started in 2019. Wonder composed one of his albums on a trip to Ghana, many years ago, and moved to Ghana in 2021. Stevie Wonder: becoming Ghanaian on my birthday is amazing

Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee, Dual citizenship

Spike Lee and wife Tonya named as Benin ambassadors for African-Americans in the US. This occurred in 2024, before Trump was elected.

Singer Ciara, Dual Citizenship

US Grammy winner Ciara becomes citizen of Benin under new slavery-descendants law

Benin grants citizenship to Americans who can trace their ancestry to a former slave. Ciara was granted Benin citizenship in 2025.

Barbara Streisand

Said she was going to move out of the U.S., but she still lives in Northern California.

Cher

Said she was moving – but she did not move.

Lena Dunham, Work visa

Moved to London – but said she did so for a specific job opportunity.

Robin Wright, Work visa

Says the US is a “s*** show” and moved to the UK. But not exactly – she’s filming a TV series for Amazon Prime Video in the UK and was already living in the UK. Another celebrity “leaves” the U.S. and is in the UK temporarily.

Lindsay Lohan, Work and marriage visas

Lives in Dubai, moved there seven years ago. Her husband is an executive at Credit Suisse, based in Dubai (believe he is American).

More

Many more say they will move – although, as above, most either already own homes in other countries, or have citizenship or residency in other countries besides the United States: Which celebrities have decided to leave the United States after Donald Trump’s victory? | Marca

Americans Not Good Enough?

Interesting that many celebrities have foreign romantic partners – sending a message that Americans are not good enough?

Media Promotes Moving Abroad After the Election

The media is “all in” on encouraging everyone to leave the United States even if they need to create fake stories, like the above.

An estimated 1.3% (WSJ) of US citizens live abroad (other estimates are 1.6% and as high as 2%). An estimated 1% +/- of US retirees move abroad, but half of those already had prior dual citizenship or residency elsewhere. For example, an American couple working in Canada for 20 years, with permanent residency status, own their home in Ontario and choose to stay their home and neighborhood for retirement. With percentages in the 1% range, almost no Americans are living abroad.