Whoopi Goldberg Announces She’s Leaving the US Permanently: “I’m Leaving and Never Coming Back” – Cites Political Climate as Reason

In a bombshell announcement that has stunned fans and ignited fierce debate, Whoopi Goldberg has declared she is permanently leaving the United States, stating plainly: “I’m leaving and I’m never coming back.”

The longtime co-host of The View, EGOT winner, and one of America’s most recognizable entertainers made the revelation during an emotional segment on Tuesday’s broadcast — her voice steady but heavy with disappointment. The statement came just weeks after Donald Trump’s decisive reelection victory and amid escalating national division over immigration enforcement, cultural policy, and free speech.

“I love this country. I’ve spent my whole life fighting for it, laughing with it, crying with it,” Goldberg, 70, said. “But right now? I don’t recognize it anymore. The anger, the cruelty, the way people are turning on each other… I can’t keep pretending it’s just another season. I’m leaving the US and I’m never coming back.”

Goldberg did not specify her final destination, though sources close to her say she has long maintained property in Ireland — her ancestral homeland through her mother’s side — and has been quietly preparing to relocate there full-time. “Ireland still believes in decency, in conversation, in treating people like human beings,” she reportedly told friends recently. “I need to be somewhere that still feels like home.”

The announcement follows a string of increasingly pointed comments from Goldberg on The View, where she has repeatedly criticized the incoming administration’s immigration policies (including the ICE shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis), the rollback of certain social programs, and what she calls “a deliberate effort to divide and frighten people.” Her co-hosts Joy Behar and Sunny Hostin visibly struggled to respond during the segment, with Behar tearing up as Goldberg spoke.

“I’m not running away from a fight,” Goldberg clarified. “I’ve been fighting my whole life. But sometimes the fight changes location. I’ll keep speaking, keep working, keep loving — just from a different stage.”

Reaction has been swift and deeply polarized. Fans flooded social media with heartbreak and support: “Whoopi IS America. If she feels pushed out, what does that say about where we are?”
“Thank you for everything, Whoopi. You’ll always have a home here — even if you can’t stay.

Critics were far less sympathetic: “Good riddance. Another out-of-touch celebrity abandoning the country she claims to love.”
“Don’t let the door hit you. Maybe Ireland will appreciate the lectures.”

The move adds to a growing list of high-profile figures expressing disillusionment with the U.S. political climate post-2024 election, including earlier announcements from Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, and Jimmy Kimmel. For many, Goldberg’s departure feels especially symbolic — she has long positioned herself as a moral voice for civil rights, empathy, and unity, even when it made her unpopular.

Goldberg has not yet confirmed her final exit date from The View, but sources say she plans to finish out the current season before transitioning to occasional guest appearances and independent projects from abroad. She has also hinted at continuing her activism internationally, particularly on women’s rights and racial justice.

As the credits rolled on Tuesday’s episode, Goldberg looked directly into the camera and delivered one final thought:“I’m not giving up on this country. I’m just giving it space to find its way back to the promise I still believe in.”

For millions who grew up watching her laugh, cry, debate, and speak truth to power, the image of Whoopi Goldberg walking away from America is almost unthinkable.

But today, that image is real.And for many — on both sides of the divide — it feels like the closing of a chapter.