As Donald Trump settles into his second term, a growing number of Americans are packing their bags—not for a vacation, but for British citizenship.
New data reveals that over 6,100 Americans applied for UK citizenship in 2024, the highest number on record and a 26% increase from the previous year. The surge has been particularly noticeable since Trump’s re-election, with immigration lawyers citing the U.S. political climate as a key driver behind the trend.
Elena Hinchin, a partner at London-based law firm Farrer & Co, noted that interest in UK citizenship spiked leading up to the election, surpassing levels seen during Trump’s first presidency. Some of this, she explained, is driven by wealthy Americans responding to tax policy changes, but for others, it’s about politics.
And it’s not just the UK seeing an influx of American applicants. Ireland has also reported a 46% increase in citizenship requests from North Americans with Irish ancestry. In November alone, nearly 3,700 Americans applied for Irish citizenship—the highest monthly figure in a decade. Thanks to Ireland’s citizenship-by-descent laws, Americans with an Irish-born grandparent are eligible to apply, making it an appealing option for those looking for an EU passport.
So, what’s really behind this migration?
While political discontent is an undeniable factor, experts caution against reading the trend as purely a referendum on Trump. Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at Oxford University, suggests that politics tends to be a “third or fourth order factor” when people from stable, democratic countries relocate. Still, the data tells a compelling story: Americans are applying for UK and Irish citizenship in record numbers, and the timing coincides with Trump’s return to power.
Perhaps the most high-profile departure comes from Ellen DeGeneres, the comedian and former talk show host who left Hollywood last year in what insiders described as a direct response to Trump’s re-election. Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi—both vocal Kamala Harris supporters—reportedly decided to “get the hell out” of the U.S., choosing a quiet life in England’s Cotswolds. However, according to sources, DeGeneres isn’t ready to retire just yet—her move was also strategic, as she looks to tap into the UK’s thriving stand-up comedy scene.
Meanwhile, Trump’s recent clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has further inflamed tensions among his detractors. During a tense White House meeting last week, Trump told Zelenskyy to be “more thankful” for U.S. aid and insisted he “make a deal” with Russia to end the war. The confrontation was seen as a deliberate escalation by critics, including Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
For those already uneasy about Trump’s leadership, the latest events are only fueling the desire to leave.
But while the headlines focus on those seeking citizenship elsewhere, the reality is that most Americans—whether they love or loathe Trump—are staying put. A record number of applications? Yes. A mass exodus? Hardly.
