Americans Rush to Leave the US After Trump’s Re-Election – Families Flee to Europe Amid Political Turmoil
The panic started in November the moment news broke that Donald Trump had been re-elected. For Benjamin and Chrys Gorman, this wasn’t a surprise—they had long promised to leave the US if Trump returned to power. That gave them just 76 days to sell their home, cars, and belongings, and move their family of four (plus three dogs and two cats) across the ocean to Barcelona, Spain.
“I thought we had more time,” Benjamin admitted. “But my wife was clear—we needed to be out not just by inauguration day, but before. And she was right.”
The urgency became clear when Trump, within hours of taking office, signed an executive order defining sex as strictly male or female, sparking confusion for Americans who had “X” gender markers on their passports. For the Gormans, watching it unfold from Spain brought relief. “Our kid’s passport has an X gender marker,” said Gorman. “We got out just in time.”
Europe Sees a Wave of American Relocations
Since Trump’s return, relocation agencies across Europe—from London to Lisbon, Madrid to Milan—have reported a surge in interest from Americans desperate to leave behind the US’s polarised political climate. Many cite frustration with an administration targeting immigrants, diversity programs, universities, and political rivals.
The statistics are telling:
Irish passport applications jumped 60% in the first two months of the year compared to last year.
France reported a sharp rise in long-stay visa requests from Americans.
UK citizenship applications hit their highest level since records began in 2004.
The movement is also fueled by celebrity relocations. Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi relocated to the Cotswolds, UK, and Jimmy Kimmel secured Italian citizenship, calling the US under Trump “unbelievable.”
Universities and Villages Seizing the Opportunity
European governments and institutions are capitalizing on America’s political exodus. France’s Aix-Marseille University launched a program offering “scientific asylum” to researchers feeling threatened by Trump’s policies. More than 500 inquiries poured in for just 20 slots.
One of those selected, Lisa, a biological anthropologist, is moving her husband, two kids, and their lives across the Atlantic. “When Trump was re-elected, it was clear—we had to go,” she said. But the move comes with challenges: a significant pay cut and worries about her husband’s job prospects. Still, she believes Europe offers more security than the uncertainty at home.
Meanwhile, entire Italian villages are promoting themselves to attract Americans eager to leave behind the chaos.
Families Flee for Safety and Stability
For some, Trump’s re-election was the final push. Author Deborah Harkness moved to southern Spain as soon as the inauguration ended. Watching the administration overhaul the judiciary, higher education, and immigration, she said: “What scares me most is how normalised the chaos and cruelty have become. That’s how authoritarianism creeps in.”
Monica Byrne, who relocated from North Carolina to Cork, Ireland, put it bluntly: “It wasn’t just Trump—it was the system that allowed him. Fascism doesn’t disappear when one man leaves.”
Her decision to stay abroad solidified once Trump returned to power. She is now pursuing a master’s program in Ireland, even though most of her loved ones remain in the US. “Yes, I’m safer here,” she said. “But 90% of the people I care about are still affected back home.”
Life Abroad – Relief, But No Return
In Barcelona, the Gormans are finally adjusting to European life. “So many things are shockingly better,” Benjamin said. His wife noted that when a car backfired on La Rambla, she was the only one who instinctively ducked—proof of how deeply American gun violence and active shooter drills had shaped their reflexes.
As for returning? Unlikely. “This doesn’t end when Trump’s term ends,” Gorman explained. “The rot in America is deeper. Trump wouldn’t be dangerous without the massive base supporting him. Until that is addressed, going back doesn’t feel safe.”
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"Thousands of Americans are leaving the US after Trump’s re-election, moving to Spain, Ireland, and Italy to escape political chaos and unrest."