Ellen DeGeneres Blames Trump Re-Election for Move to UK

Ellen DeGeneres revealed she permanently relocated to rural England with her wife after Donald Trump’s re-election, citing concerns over LGBTQ+ rights in the US and reflecting on her career and personal growth.

Television icon Ellen DeGeneres has made her first public appearance in the United Kingdom since relocating from the United States, revealing that she and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, decided to move permanently following the re-election of Donald Trump.

Speaking at a live event in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, the former daytime talk show host expressed her admiration for life in rural England, describing it as “simpler and better.” DeGeneres said she and de Rossi had originally intended to split their time between the UK and the US but made the decision to stay after waking up to Trump’s electoral victory.

“We arrived the day before the election and woke up to texts from our friends filled with crying emojis,” she told the audience. “I thought, ‘He got in,’ and we just said, ‘We’re staying here.’”

Now residing in the Cotswolds, DeGeneres has shared glimpses of her new life on social media, featuring farm animals and the English countryside. “It’s absolutely beautiful here. We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty,” she said. “It’s clean, the people are polite, and animals are treated better. We love it.”

The 67-year-old comedian also hinted that she and de Rossi are considering renewing their vows in the UK, amid growing concerns in the US over the possible rollback of LGBTQ+ rights, including the legalisation of same-sex marriage. “If they try to reverse it in the US, we’re already looking into getting married here,” she said.

DeGeneres also took the opportunity to address the controversy that led to the cancellation of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2022, following allegations of a toxic workplace culture. While she acknowledged being “very blunt,” she rejected claims of being “mean,” calling the media reports “clickbait.”

Reflecting on her own journey as one of the first openly gay celebrities in mainstream American television, DeGeneres expressed frustration at the continued stigma in the entertainment industry. “It’s still a problem,” she said. “There are so many actors I know who are gay but won’t come out because they’re still scared.”

Despite this, she voiced hope for the future, pointing to younger generations as catalysts for change. “They’re more fluid and more comfortable with it,” she added. “They’re going to show us the way.”

The Emmy-winning entertainer, who became a household name in the 1990s and hosted one of America’s most successful talk shows for nearly two decades, appears to have found a new chapter in life across the Atlantic — one marked by simplicity, reflection, and continued advocacy.