Ellen DeGeneres ditched Trump’s America. But will the British weather send her running back?
Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not secretly rooting for any political party here. As a Brit—even one living abroad—I’ve got no issue with wealthy immigrants snapping up our mansions. My only ask? Integrate, please. Leave those quirky foreign ideas at the border.
And yes, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, I’m looking at you. The California power couple landed in the UK just as Donald Trump clinched the election. They swore they’d stay on the ‘sane side’ of the Atlantic (https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jul/21/ellen-degeneres-uk-move-donald-trump-ntwnfb). Immigration rules? Apparently, ‘one in, one out’ policies (https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/jul/10/starmer-one-in-one-out-deal-allow-uk-return-small-boat-migrants-france) don’t apply if you arrive in a private jet. They bought a swanky Cotswolds estate, and DeGeneres even charmed locals in July, gushing, ‘Everything here is just better’ (https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/ellen-degeneres-says-things-are-just-better-in-the-uk/ar-AA1J0P1R).
But here’s where it gets tricky. Summer in Britain? Blissful. Winter? A whole different story. Rumors swirl that the couple is already eyeing a return to Trumpland. According to the Mail on Sunday (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-15338521/Ellen-DeGeneres-Portia-Rossi-Trump-California-winter.html)—take it with a grain of salt—they’re homesick and dreading another chilly British winter. Look, I get it. But fleeing fascism only to bolt back because you’re not used to a bit of rain? That’s a tough look. As my mum would say, ‘Ellen, just layer up!’ And maybe ditch the idea that the sky has to be blue.
But here’s where it gets controversial: DeGeneres and De Rossi aren’t alone in their Trump-induced wanderlust. Hollywood’s been threatening to leave since Trump entered politics, but few have actually packed their bags. Remember Amy Schumer’s 2016 vow to ‘move to Spain’ if Trump won? She later called it a joke (https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/305363-amy-schumer-says-vow-to-leave-country-was-a-joke/). Miley Cyrus did the same, pledging to leave in 2016 (https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/271683-miley-cyrus-pledges-to-leave-us-if-trump-wins/) before backpedaling. Even Barbra Streisand threatened to bail—twice—but she’s still stateside (https://www.salon.com/2023/11/15/barbra-streisand-says-she-cant-live-in-this-country-if-donald-wins-the-presidency/).
And this is the part most people miss: Some celebrities have left—and stayed gone. Courtney Love, a London resident since 2019, is pursuing British citizenship, calling the U.S. political climate ‘frightening’ (https://people.com/courtney-love-getting-british-citizenship-six-months-report-11698584). Rosie O’Donnell moved her family to Ireland, citing safety concerns for her non-binary child, Clay (https://people.com/rosie-o-donnell-opens-up-about-child-clay-12-coming-out-nonbinary-11745558). ‘We’ll return when America’s safe for all,’ she said on TikTok. While it’s easy to mock these self-deporting stars—many cushioned by wealth—O’Donnell’s move was likely wise. Trump once threatened to strip her citizenship (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-trumps-threat-to-take-away-rosie-odonnells-u-s-citizenship), and in a country with rising political violence, that’s no small threat.
Here’s the bigger picture: Celebrities aside, the U.S. is facing a brain drain. A Nature poll found 75% of researchers consider leaving (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/top-researchers-consider-leaving-u-s-amid-funding-cuts-the-science-world-is-ending), and international students are losing interest (https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/05/21/america-is-in-danger-of-experiencing-an-academic-brain-drain). Even fascism experts are fleeing. Three Yale professors declared, ‘We study fascism, and we’re leaving the U.S.’ in a chilling NYT op-ed (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/16/why-a-professor-of-fascism-left-the-us-the-lesson-of-1933-is-you-get-out).
So, will Ellen stick it out in the Cotswolds? Or will a damp winter send her back to Trumpland? And more importantly, what does this say about America’s future? Let’s discuss—I want to hear your thoughts in the comments. Is this just celebrity drama, or a symptom of something deeper?
Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist.
