Television personality Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed that her decision to relocate to the United Kingdom was directly tied to President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In an interview with British broadcaster Richard Bacon on the BBC, DeGeneres detailed the timing of her move and the political motivations behind it.
“We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, ‘He got in,’” DeGeneres said.
“And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’”
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Reports had circulated since last year that DeGeneres and her partner, Portia de Rossi, left the United States shortly after President Trump’s election victory over Kamala Harris in November 2024.
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The couple sold their Montecito, California estate and purchased a farm in the English countryside, where they now reside full-time.
Describing her new surroundings in the U.K., DeGeneres praised the lifestyle and environment.
“We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture – everything you see is charming and it’s just a simpler way of life. It’s clean. Everything here is just better – the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here,” she said.
DeGeneres also noted that she and de Rossi relocated in November.
“We moved here in November, which was not the ideal time, but I saw snow for the first time in my life. We love it here. Portia flew her horses here, and I have chickens, and we had sheep for about two weeks,” she added.
The comedian’s decision to leave the country in response to a U.S. presidential election is a notable shift, particularly in light of her previously expressed views on bipartisanship.
In 2019, DeGeneres faced significant backlash from left-wing commentators and activists for appearing publicly with former President George W. Bush.
In response to the criticism at the time, DeGeneres addressed the controversy on her show.
“Here’s the thing: I’m friends with George Bush. In fact, I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have,” she told her audience.
“We’re all different and I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s okay that we’re all different… but just because I don’t agree with someone on everything doesn’t mean that I’m not going to be friends with them.”
Yes, that was me at the Cowboys game with George W. Bush over the weekend. Here’s the whole story. pic.twitter.com/AYiwY5gTIS
— The Ellen Show (@TheEllenShow) October 8, 2019
Despite that message, DeGeneres has now cited political developments in the United States as the reason for her permanent departure.
Her comments mark one of the few times a high-profile celebrity has publicly confirmed leaving the country due to opposition to a sitting U.S. president.
DeGeneres also previously employed comedian Adam Yenser, a Republican and open supporter of President Trump, on her writing staff.
Yenser was a regular figure on her daytime talk show’s “Kevin the Cashier” comedy segment and remained on staff for several years.
The relocation of DeGeneres and de Rossi to the U.K. follows a broader trend of politically motivated statements from celebrities in reaction to Trump’s presidency.
While many figures in entertainment have threatened to leave the country in the past, few have done so.
DeGeneres’ confirmation makes her one of the most prominent personalities to follow through on such a decision.
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