A host of celebrities have long been vocal in their opposition to Donald Trump taking office making some bold promises of their own along way: if Trump won, they were out.
The reactions have ranged from playful hyperbole to what sounded like solemn pledges, yet as the dust settles on another Trump election win, will the stars settle into their multimillion-dollar homes on American soil, or leave the country for good?
Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris had a who’s who of Hollywood endorsing her, with celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen and Howard Stern backing her campaign.
In the wake of Trump’s trouncing of Harris, Dailymail.com was taking a roll call of potential departures, and well as re-examining who said they were leaving last time, and if they kept their promise.
Following Trump’s victory, dozens of prominent names in the entertainment industry were vocal about their sadness, anger and frustration, but none appeared to be looking for their passports ahead of his upcoming term as the 47th president.
A host of celebrities have long been vocal in their opposition to Donald Trump taking office making some bold promises of their own along way: if Trump won, they were out. The president-elect was pictured Wednesday in Florida
Democratic candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris pictured Wednesday at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Whoopi Goldberg & Cher
The View’s Whoopi Goldberg, a notable critic of Trump’s political career, refused to acknowledge Trump by name on Wednesday’s broadcast of the ABC chat show.
‘He’s the president,’ Goldberg said. ‘I’m still not going to say his name – that’s not going to change.
In the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Goldberg also expressed strong opposition to Trump’s candidacy, saying on The View, ‘Maybe it’s time for me to move, you know. I can afford to go.’
Goldberg later clarified that she had no intention of leaving the country, emphasizing her commitment to staying in the United States. In May 2024, Trump shared a meme suggesting Goldberg would move to Canada if he were elected again, adding, ‘Canada doesn’t want you Whoopi, NOBODY DOES!!!’
In response, Goldberg addressed the meme on the show stating, ‘Look, I’m not going anywhere… I know where I’m going to be because I got a contract, so I’m going to be here where I’m wanted for the next couple of years.’
Cher she had more cosmic aspirations: In June 2015, she tweeted, ‘If he were to be elected, I’m moving to Jupiter,’ but did not appear to have relocated in the years following, in which Trump was elected to office and served.
Cher in October 2023 told The Guardian that she suffered health issues as result of Trump’s previous term, and said this time she was determined to relocate from the U.S. under Trump’s leadership.
‘I almost got an ulcer the last time,’ said Cher. ‘If he gets in, who knows? This time I will leave.’ (As of Wednesday evening, Cher had not said anything since Trump’s election on her social media platforms in regards to her plans.)
The View’s Whoopi Goldberg, a notable critic of Trump’s political career, refused to acknowledge Trump by name on Wednesday’s broadcast of the ABC chat show
In May 2024, Trump shared a meme suggesting Goldberg would move to Canada if he were elected again, adding, ‘Canada doesn’t want you Whoopi, NOBODY DOES!!!’
Cher, pictured last month in Cleveland, had more cosmic aspirations. ‘If he were to be elected, I’m moving to Jupiter,’ she tweeted, describing Trump as a ‘loudmouth a******’
Lena Dunham & Amy Schumer
Girls creator Lena Dunham told an audience in 2016 that she would ‘100 percent move to Canada’ while appearing at the Matrix Awards in April of 2016 in New York City, the CBC reported.
She said: ‘I know a lot of people have been threatening to do this, but I really will … I know a lovely place in Vancouver and I can get my work done from there.’
Her sincerity seemed real at the time, yet Dunham is still very much in the United States, continuing her work in entertainment and advocacy. No cross-border relocation has occurred, though perhaps Canadian winters were less appealing in hindsight.
After Trump was elected in November of 2016, Dunham clarified that her earlier comments were made in jest and emphasized her commitment to staying in the United States to advocate for her beliefs. She said on Instagram, ‘It’s easy to joke about moving to Canada. It’s harder to see, and to love, the people who fill your mailbox with hate… but I’m willing to try.’
Amy Schumer said in November of 2016 that previous remarks she made about relocating were made ‘in jest.’
Schumer told the BBC in September 2016: ‘My act will change because I will need to learn to speak Spanish because I will move to Spain or somewhere. It’s beyond my comprehension if Trump won. It’s just too crazy.’
The Trainwreck star said after Trump was elected: ‘The interview where I said I would move was in London and was said in jest … not that anyone needs more than a headline to count something as official news. Anyone saying pack your bags is just as disgusting as anyone who voted for this racist homophobic openly disrespectful woman abuser.’
Schumer said 2016 nominee Hillary Clinton ‘would have taken care of us,’ and noted she and ‘all the celebrities backing her would have … personally would have had to pay higher taxes.’
On Wednesday, Schumer – who has been outspoken about antisemitism in the wake of Hamas’ attack on an Israeli music festival last year – shared a tweet that read, ‘Per CNN exit polling the top 2 demographics that voted for Kamala Harris are: Black women @ 92% and Jewish women @ 88%..’
Lena Dunham told an audience that she would ‘100 percent move to Canada’ should Trump win but she never left; pictured in London in September
Amy Schumer said in November of 2016 that previous remarks she made about relocating were made ‘in jest.’ Pictured in NYC in May
Samuel L. Jackson and Bryan Cranston
Samuel L. Jackson had previously joked he would relocate to South Africa in December of 2015.
The statement came during a sketch on Jimmy Kimmel Live in which The Hateful Eight provided vocals for a ‘hateful eight ball.’
After Trump’s win in November of 2016, the actor said on Twitter, When you learn the difference between My Actual Opinion & A Kimmel Skit… Maybe we can talk. Till then, I’m Barbed Wire Up Your A**es!!’
In recent years, the Pulp Fiction actor – who also campaigned on Harris’ behalf – has remained stateside, filming more Marvel movies and performing on Broadway.
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston said in a late 2016 interview with The Bestseller Experiment podcast, declaring he ‘would definitely move’ to Vancouver, British Columbia if Trump defeated Clinton.
‘It’s not real to me that that would happen. I hope to God it won’t. It wouldn’t be a vacation. I’d be an expatriate.’
After Trump was elected, Cranston, who publicly endorsed Harris, walked back his statement on Twitter.
‘Although shocked and disappointed by the outcome, I hope the pres-elect will work to unify our wounded country,’ he said in November 2016. ‘I sincerely wish him success.’
Samuel L. Jackson had previously joked he would relocate to South Africa in December of 2015, but walked back the remarks. Pictured last month in NYC
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston, pictured in Las Vegas last month, stated he would ‘definitely move’ if Trump became president
Raven-Symoné & Miley Cyrus
Actress Raven-Symoné also promised she would move to Canada with her family should Trump win.
She emphasized her seriousness on The View in 2016, saying, ‘I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear.’
Despite this declaration, she remained in the United States after the election, and had not commented on Tuesday’s election results on her social media.
Miley Cyrus took umbrage at a Trump presidency posting on Instagram in 2016: ‘Honestly f*** this s*** I am moving if this is my president! I don’t say things I don’t mean!’
But following Trump’s 2016 election win, Cyrus did not leave the country, and ultimately denounced her previous comments.
In a 2017 interview with NME, she reflected on her earlier statement, calling it ‘dumb’ and ‘ignorant.’
She explained, ‘That’s me abandoning my country when I think I’ve got a good thing to say to my country.’
Cyrus had not made any public statements in regards to the recent election on her social media Wednesday.
Actress Raven-Symoné also promised she would move to Canada with her family should Trump win. Pictured last year in LA
Miley Cyrus, pictured in February in LA, took umbrage at a Trump presidency posting on Instagram in 2016
Actress Neve Campbell, originally from Canada, indicated she would return home country if Trump won.
‘I’m terrified. It’s really scary,’ she said at the time of Trump’s first win.
But like others, Campbell ultimately stayed in the U.S., continuing her work in Hollywood.
Many assumed such statements of leaving the country were simply exaggerated forms of protest, designed to grab attention and signal their deep dissatisfaction with the direction the country is moving rather than genuine moving plans.
Indeed, while many Americans faced real challenges during Trump’s presidency whether due to immigration policies, healthcare reforms, or economic shifts, few had the luxury of publicly vowing to leave.
As for the high-profile names, it appears most never seriously entertained leaving the U.S., even as they doubled down on their critiques.
