Ellen DeGeneres packed her bags and bolted for the U.K., blaming Trump’s 2024 election win for her exodus. The former talk show host, once a darling of daytime TV, traded Montecito’s sun-soaked hills for a quaint English farmhouse.
Fox News reported that her move raises eyebrows about celebrities fleeing political climates they can’t stomach. DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, sold their Montecito estate in August 2024 and relocated to the U.K. in November.
The couple’s decision to make the move permanent came after Trump’s victory, which DeGeneres said sealed their choice to stay abroad. It’s a telling snapshot of how politics can push even the wealthy to new shores.
Initially, the couple planned the U.K. move as a part-time venture, intending to split their year between countries. “We got here the day before the election and woke up to lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis,” DeGeneres told broadcaster Richard Bacon, revealing the moment they decided to stay. Funny how a single election can turn a vacation into a one-way ticket.
DeGeneres gushed about the U.K.’s charm, calling it “absolutely beautiful” with its quaint villages and polite people.
She’s not wrong—something is refreshing about a place where manners still matter. But swapping California’s coast for England’s drizzle feels like a statement, not just a lifestyle choice.
The couple’s new life includes chickens and, briefly, sheep, though DeGeneres admitted the sheep lasted only two weeks. Portia even flew her horses across the Atlantic, proving their commitment to this rural reinvention. One wonders if the animals got a vote in this political relocation.
DeGeneres has stayed mostly private, sharing only snippets of her farm life on social media. “It’s clean. Everything here is just better,” she said, praising the U.K.’s simpler ways. Sounds idyllic, but it’s hard to ignore the irony of fleeing one elite bubble for another.
DeGeneres didn’t just leave—she also waded into Trump’s feud with Rosie O’Donnell. Trump called O’Donnell a “threat to humanity” on Truth Social, threatening to revoke her citizenship. The former president’s flair for drama hasn’t changed, and neither has his knack for picking public fights.
O’Donnell, who moved to Ireland earlier in 2024, fired back on Instagram, labeling Trump a “dangerous old soulless man with dementia.”
DeGeneres reposted O’Donnell’s response, adding a supportive “Good for you.” Solidarity among celebrities seems to thrive when Trump’s the target.
“The president of the USA has always hated the fact that I see him for who he is,” O’Donnell wrote, doubling down on her criticism. Her move to Ireland was no coincidence, driven by the same political distaste that sent DeGeneres packing. It’s a pattern—progressive icons running for the hills when the political tide turns.
O’Donnell admitted she was shocked DeGeneres left because of Trump, noting they’ve never been close. “I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political,” she told Us Weekly. That DeGeneres, once apolitical, now cites Trump as her reason for leaving speaks volumes about today’s polarized climate.
Despite their rocky history, O’Donnell wished DeGeneres well, saying, “I don’t want to fight against another gay woman.”
It’s a rare moment of grace in a world where celebrity feuds often overshadow substance. Maybe there’s hope for civility, even among the famous.
DeGeneres confirmed her permanent move was due to Trump’s win, telling Bacon, “We’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’” The decision feels less like a retreat and more like a calculated statement. When the going gets tough, some stars just buy a farmhouse abroad.
Trump’s return to power rattled DeGeneres and O’Donnell, prompting both to seek refuge overseas. O’Donnell’s Instagram collage, centered on Trump’s citizenship threat, was a defiant middle finger to his rhetoric. Yet, their departures feel like privilege in action—most Americans can’t just flee when politics don’t go their way.
“It’s just a simpler way of life,” DeGeneres said of the U.K., where she’s embraced snow and farm animals.
Her love for England’s “better” treatment of animals and people sounds noble, but sidesteps the messier realities of political disagreement. Running to greener pastures doesn’t solve division—it just exports it.
