Viral rumors suggest that Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi abandoned their American citizenship, leading to a decade-long travel ban.
WASHINGTON, DC: Social media has been buzzing with unverified reports claiming that Ellen DeGeneres is deeply unhappy with her relocation to England following President Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory. According to these viral posts, DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, allegedly gave up their US citizenship and are now barred from entering the country for ten years. Let’s look at the facts behind these online rumors.
The Rumor: Did Ellen DeGeneres regret moving to the Cotswolds?
Ellen DeGeneres says she’s “completely miserable” living in the UK and that she and Portia DiRossi, her wife, would like to come home.
“I didn’t really think this through,” said Ellen, “Leaving was one thing, but we never should have forfeited our citizenship.”
The couple renounced the United States before they left and destroyed their passports as soon as they got new ones from the UK, where DiRossi and DeGeneres, by default, are already citizens.
“Now we can’t even visit.”
What’s your response to this……??👀
MAKE THIS GO VIRAL ON X. LET’S GO 👏
— Today Updates 🇺🇸 (@TodayUpdates0) October 20, 2026
The speculation appears to have started with a post on X (formerly Twitter) by an account called Today Updates. The post asserted that Ellen DeGeneres was regretting her move to the English countryside after the 2024 presidential outcome.
The viral message claimed the couple desperately wanted to return home, quoting DeGeneres as saying, “I didn’t really think this through,” and adding, “Leaving was one thing, but we never should have forfeited our citizenship.”
Furthermore, the post alleged that the duo had formally renounced their American ties prior to their departure and physically destroyed their US passports upon acquiring UK travel documents.
First, she left America, which is paradise, and moved to the UK, where she realized what America truly means.
If she had to live in Afghanistan, she would go crazy within a month!
Many people take their freedom for granted because they have never experienced what it means to have their basic rights taken away, lose their freedom, or live under constant restrictions, challenges, and threats.
I hope that one day I will experience freedom and finally be free.
— Afghan Girl (@Afghana609) October 21, 2026
The post wrapped up with another fabricated quote reading, “Now we can’t even visit,” prompting followers to share their opinions.
Other accounts quickly jumped on the bandwagon, using the narrative to criticize the celebrity couple. One widely shared post painted America as “paradise” and used the situation to lecture about taking freedom for granted, even comparing the celebrities’ lifestyle changes to severe political hardships abroad.
Fact Check: False — No US Citizenship Was Renounced
There is zero truth to these claims. Thorough checks of public records reveal no documentation showing that either DeGeneres or de Rossi has ever renounced their United States citizenship. Simply relocating to another country does not strip a person of their native citizenship.
Stories about destroyed passports and forced 10-year bans stem entirely from unverified social media chatter and satirical or low-credibility accounts known for spreading fabrications.
During an October 2026 appearance on ‘The Graham Norton Show,’ DeGeneres spoke candidly about her career transition. While she admitted to missing television production and hinted at potential creative projects in the UK, she never expressed regret over her move or mentioned any immigration hurdles.
Instead, the comedian has humorously shared lighthearted stories about managing rural English life—such as tending to sheep and keeping up with yard work—which hardly aligns with the narrative that she is miserable.
Quotations like “completely miserable,” “we never should have forfeited our citizenship,” and “Now we can’t even visit” exist exclusively inside internet memes and speculative posts. No reputable news organization or verified interview backs up these assertions.
DeGeneres is a native-born US citizen, while de Rossi was originally born in Australia. However, neither woman has given up her legal standing in the United States, and both remain entirely free to travel back and forth without facing any government restrictions.