Americans Relocate Abroad Citing Fears of political Instability & ”Fascist Impulses” Following trump’s Re-election
Cork, Ireland – March 24, 2025 – A growing number of Americans are making the permanent decision to leave the United States, driven by anxieties over the direction of the country following Donald Trump‘s re-election. Interviews with expatriates reveal a deep-seated fear not simply of Trump himself,but of a broader rise in extremism and a perceived failure of democratic institutions to counter it. the trend, initially observed during trump’s first term, has demonstrably accelerated as his second inauguration.
The Guardian spoke with several Americans who have recently relocated, highlighting a common thread: a belief that the U.S. is experiencing a hazardous normalization of authoritarian tendencies. Sarah Miller, a former resident of Washington state, described a pervasive sense of “chaos, cruelty, and disinformation,” warning that these conditions are fertile ground for authoritarianism. She cited concerns over attacks on the judiciary, public broadcasting, higher education, and immigration policies as evidence of this trend.
Monica Byrne, who moved from North Carolina to Cork, Ireland in 2023, framed her decision as a response to systemic issues rather then solely Trump’s candidacy. “I didn’t know whether Trump specifically was going to come back, but I knew fascism was,” she explained.Byrne attributed her move to “the abject failure of the Democrats and knowing they weren’t going to protect us from fascism generally.” She is now enrolled in a master’s program in Ireland, but emphasized that her departure is bittersweet, as “90% of the peopel I care about and love are in the States and are affected.”
The exodus isn’t limited to Europe. In Barcelona, Spain, David Gorman and his family have found a markedly different quality of life. Gorman noted the stark contrast in everyday safety, recounting how his wife instinctively ducked when a car backfired – a reaction born from years of living with the threat of gun violence and active shooter drills in the U.S.
however, Gorman stressed that the decision to remain abroad isn’t contingent on the end of the Trump administration.”I don’t foresee this movement ending with the end of the Trump administration… I think that the rot is much deeper,” he said. He believes the core issue lies in understanding and addressing the considerable base of support that enabled Trump’s rise. “If he wouldn’t have a huge base of support, Trump is just, you know, your crazy uncle yelling things on a porch. That base of support needs to be addressed. Why was there support for this kind of fascism?”
Gorman concluded by stating he would not feel safe returning to the U.S. until the country “fully reckons with its fascist impulses.”
This wave of emigration echoes past patterns of Americans seeking refuge abroad during periods of domestic political turmoil. While precise figures are difficult to ascertain, data from the State Department indicates a meaningful increase in applications for Certificates of Loss of Nationality – a key step in renouncing U.S.citizenship – since 2016. Experts suggest this trend reflects a growing disillusionment with the American political landscape and a search for greater stability and security elsewhere. The long-term implications of this demographic shift remain to be seen, but it underscores a profound crisis of confidence in the future of American democracy for a segment of its population.
