Trump’s Victory Sparks Rise in Americans Looking to Leave the Country

Now that Donald Trump has won the election, the United States could see a surge of Americans leave the country, warned financial planners and immigration experts.
Even in the year preceding the 2024 election, many people started making plans to emigrate if Trump made his way back into the White House, said Alex Ingrim, financial adviser with Chase Buchanan USA, based in Florence, Italy.
Ingrim routinely advises Americans on tax and other financial changes associated with relocating or retiring in Europe and said Trump’s likely return to the presidency has been motivating many to look into emigration options.
“We believe that since Trump was a known quantity, not a surprise like 2016, more Americans were prepared to make a move during this election cycle and had put plans in motion including scouting trips, visa preparation, and talking to tax professionals,” Ingrim told Newsweek.
Still, Ingrim said, only a small percentage of those interested in moving abroad will actually make the leap.
“You need more than political reasons for making a move including increased quality of life, sense of adventure, being closer to family,” Ingrim said. “Sacrificing time with friends and family or your hobbies just for political reasons is a hard choice. And there are far fewer employment opportunities abroad than in the US.”
For those assessing whether they should make a move, the legality is the first question. It’s often harder to emigrate as an American-born citizen than many realize, Ingrim said.
Affordability and tax obligations are other factors to consider, as many countries place higher regulations on earned income than in America.
Robert Shapiro, political science professor at Columbia University, said many of those talking about moving from the United States are engaging in more “reaction, over-reaction, and talk” rather than actual emigration plans.
Even in 2023, American interest in moving to another country had grown by 8 percent to 18 percent since 2011, according to a Gallup poll.
“This indicates that for reasons other than the current election, Americans have thought about leaving the US, but this can include immigrants who might return to their home country,” Shapiro told Newsweek.
“For now, this is all talk. Whether people act on this for political reasons will depend on the Trump administration’s policies. My prediction will be that the number of people who leave will be minuscule.”
Paul Beck, professor emeritus of political science at The Ohio State University, said the two groups most likely to think about leaving the U.S. are asylum-seekers and undocumented immigrants who are worried about imminent deportations.
“Then there is a group of Americans, potentially large, who are so unhappy about the election outcome and four more years of a Trump presidency that they talk about leaving the country,” Beck told Newsweek. “Much of this, I think, is just talk out of dismay.”
Those who also have Canadian, Irish or German citizenship might choose to go back to those countries, but it’s far easier if you are retired or can work abroad.
“Canada makes it difficult for retirees to resettle there out of worries that they would qualify for Canadian benefits, especially the health system,” Beck said.