The Former Talk Show Host and Her Wife Leave Montecito for England’s Cotswolds, Signaling a Permanent Move After Trump’s 2024 Victory 

Los Angeles, CA – Ellen DeGeneres, the iconic comedian and former host of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, along with her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, have reportedly left the United States for the United Kingdom, with sources citing President Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory as a primary motivator. The couple, who had been living in a luxurious Montecito, California estate, has settled in the picturesque Cotswolds region, approximately two hours from London, and plans to list their California property for sale. 

According to sources close to DeGeneres, the couple purchased their UK home before the November 2024 election but decided to make the move permanent after Trump’s re-election as the 47th U.S. President. “They were very disillusioned with Trump’s victory and wanted to get the hell out,” a source told TMZ, emphasizing that DeGeneres and de Rossi have no plans to return to the U.S.. DeGeneres, a vocal supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris during the election, had publicly endorsed Harris on Instagram in August 2024, writing, “There’s nothing more powerful than a woman whose time has come!! I can’t wait for @KamalaHarris to be our next president.” 

In a candid interview at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on July 20, 2025, DeGeneres confirmed the move, stating, “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.’ And we’re like, ‘We’re staying here.’” She expressed admiration for the UK, noting, “It’s clean. Everything here is just better – the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here.” DeGeneres also highlighted concerns about threats to LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S., mentioning that she and de Rossi, who wed in 2008, are considering renewing their vows in the UK amid fears of efforts to reverse same-sex marriage rights. 

The couple’s relocation follows a challenging period for DeGeneres, whose reputation faced scrutiny after 2020 allegations of a toxic workplace environment on her talk show. The controversy led to an internal investigation by Warner Bros., an apology from DeGeneres, and the eventual end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022 after 19 seasons. In her 2024 Netflix special, For Your Approval, DeGeneres addressed being “kicked out of show business” and reflected on the impact of the allegations. She has since stepped back from the entertainment industry, with the Netflix special billed as her final stand-up performance.

DeGeneres and de Rossi’s move aligns with a broader trend of celebrities expressing intentions to leave the U.S. following Trump’s victory. Notably, comedian Rosie O’Donnell, who relocated to Ireland, expressed surprise at DeGeneres’s politically motivated departure, stating, “I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump.” DeGeneres recently showed support for O’Donnell after Trump threatened to revoke O’Donnell’s citizenship, reposting O’Donnell’s response on Instagram with the caption, “Good for you.” 

The couple’s Montecito estate, purchased in 2019 for $27 million, was sold in August 2024, and they are reportedly planning to list another California property. Their new life in the Cotswolds includes a farmhouse with chickens and horses, with DeGeneres sharing glimpses of their rural lifestyle on social media, including a photo of a double rainbow over the countryside. While some X posts have speculated about other motivations, such as avoiding potential legal issues, no evidence supports these claims, and the couple’s stated reasons center on political disillusionment and a desire for a simpler life. 

As DeGeneres and de Rossi settle into their new home, their departure marks a significant shift for the couple, whose real estate ventures have been valued at over $450 million. Whether this move signals a permanent retreat from the public eye or a new chapter abroad remains to be seen, but DeGeneres’s vocal stance against Trump’s policies underscores a growing divide among public figures reacting to the current political climate.