Topline
Foreign policy concerns, economic fears and quality of life were cited as the main reasons one-third of American millionaires said they’re more likely to leave the country as President Donald Trump’s second term hits the one-year mark, according to a survey by investment migration consultancy group Arton Capital.
U.S. President Donald Trump talks with reporters at Palm Beach International Airport on Jan. 19, 2026.
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Key Facts
In a survey of 1,000 people worth at least $1 million, 33% said they’re more likely to move to another country now than they were before Trump was elected, according to the Arton Capital Affluence & Elections Survey.
Democratic millionaires felt much more strongly about the prospect of leaving the United States—with more than half (52%) of Kamala Harris voters reporting an interest in moving as compared to 15% of Trump voters.
Of those who said they’ve considered a move overseas, 84% said they’re concerned about foreign policy, 74% said they’re worried about the future of the American economy and 75% said they think there are better economic and quality of life opportunities overseas.
Canada was the most common answer when asked about potential destinations for those wanting to leave the U.S.
The U.K. was cited the second most, followed by Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.
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Key Background
A surge in Americans considering leaving the United States since Trump’s 2024 election echoes similar sentiment found in his first term. The number of Americans who said they wanted to leave the country in 2017 and 2018 was higher than the average levels during either the George W. Bush or Barack Obama administrations, Gallup reported in 2019. Last November, an American Psychological Association survey found 63% of America’s young people (between 18 and 34 years old) have considered relocating because of “the state of the nation.” The number is a sharp rise from the 41% who reported the same in 2024. U.S. citizens applying for Irish passports rose 60% in the first two months of 2025 compared to 2024, NPR reported, and the U.K. also recorded a record number of Americans applying for citizenship in the first three months of 2025.
Tangent
Several liberal celebrities threatened to leave the country in the wake of Trump’s election, and several have either moved or pursued alternate citizenship. Rosie O’Donnell, a frequent Trump critic, moved to Ireland in January and said she won’t return until “it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America.” Comedian Ellen DeGeneres moved to England and said Trump’s election turned what was supposed to be a visit into a permanent relocation. Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel obtained Italian citizenship last summer, and said it was because “What’s going on [with Trump] is as bad as you thought it was gonna be. It’s so much worse; it’s just unbelievable.” George Clooney and his family recently obtained French citizenship and while the star did not publicly cite Trump’s election as a reason for the decision, Trump bashed it nonetheless. The president called Clooney’s move “good news” and said he “wasn’t a movie star at all, he was just an average guy who complained, constantly, about common sense in politics. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!” Clooney responded by saying he’ll be involved in supporting Democrats in the midterm elections later this year.
Further Reading
ForbesGeorge Clooney Responds After Trump Disses His New French CitizenshipBy Mary Whitfill RoeloffsForbesJimmy Kimmel Says Trump Presidency Drove Him To Italian CitizenshipBy Mary Whitfill RoeloffsForbesImmigration Restrictions Mount Against Americans And Legal ResidentsBy Stuart Anderson
ForbesImmigrant Labor Declines As Trump Imposes New Immigration RestrictionsBy Stuart Anderson
