Ellen DeGeneres, who publicly announced she was leaving the United States after President Donald Trump’s election victory, has returned to California and purchased a $27 million mansion in Montecito, according to a report by Fox News.
Just over a year ago, DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, relocated to the Cotswolds in England, telling friends and associates they were “never coming back” to the United States.
At the time, DeGeneres cited the “political climate” following Trump’s landslide victory as the reason for leaving the country.
🚨 Breaking 🚨
It is my sad duty to report that Ellen DeGeneres is returning to the United States. pic.twitter.com/2doVYDawMn
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) November 30, 2025
She also referenced messages she received from liberal friends, saying she got “texts with crying emojis” after the election results were announced, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
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Following her move to the United Kingdom, DeGeneres publicly praised life abroad and spoke glowingly about the area.
“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture — everything you see is charming, and it’s just a simpler way of life.”
She continued by contrasting the UK favorably with the United States. “It’s clean. Everything here is just better — the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here.”
However, weeks after DeGeneres announced she had left the United States following President Trump’s election victory, her UK mansion experienced flooding, according to reports.
Now, more than a year after leaving the country, DeGeneres has closed on a sprawling estate in Montecito, returning to one of California’s most exclusive celebrity enclaves.
Fox News reported that DeGeneres is “California Dreamin’” again after purchasing the Montecito property with de Rossi.
The report noted that while the couple has acquired the $27 million home in the Southern California community, they may not be planning a permanent return.
A source told Fox News Digital that DeGeneres and de Rossi wanted to spend the winter in Montecito and described their move back to California as “temporary.”
According to the source, “Ellen and Portia love the Cotswolds and can’t wait to return to England.”
Additional reporting by People magazine indicated the couple had been missing aspects of life in California since their move overseas.
A source told the publication they were missing “the California weather and horse scene,” adding, “Portia loves polo and her horses.”
People magazine also reported that locals in the Cotswolds said they had not seen DeGeneres “in ages.” Another source told the outlet that while the comedian was frequently spotted around town during the summer, she has not been seen there recently.
DeGeneres’ return to California comes after her highly publicized departure, which was framed at the time as a permanent exit from the United States due to political dissatisfaction.
Her purchase of a multimillion-dollar mansion in Montecito places her back in the same state she previously suggested had become unlivable following Trump’s victory.
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