Half of the 30 American citizens who answered The Local’s survey on why they moved to Denmark said that the election or impending election of US President Donald Trump had played at least some role in their decision.

Some said Trump’s likely return to power had even been “decisive”, whilst others said it had played “a large role”. 

All of those who answered the survey made their decision to move before Trump was reelected in November 2024 and well before his inauguration on January 20th.

But many were sufficiently convinced the tycoon would return to the White House, that they made the move to quit the US before his re-election was confirmed.

Stefanie Astrakhan, a Chicagoan who had spent 20 years in California, said her family had taken the decision to escape the US once it became clear that nothing would be done to stop Trump running again.

“When Trump was allowed to run for president again, we decided we had to get out,” she said. 

When her husband, an Israeli cinematographer, found a job teaching at the European Film College in Ebeltoft, they “jumped at the chance”.

“We sold our cars, our house, packed up our kids and our 17-year-old dog and have never been happier,” she said.

Lindsay Nielsen, from North Carolina, said she had moved in 2023 with her two half-Danish children because she “saw the writing on the wall” about a Trump return. 

“We just knew that he would be reelected, even way back in 2022 when we made the decision to move and in April of 2023 when we made the official move,” she said.

Lindsay said that they were also motivated by a desire to move the family to a safer environment. 

“My five-year-old was doing active shooter drills in school…and it just was no longer tenable to stay in the US,” she said.  

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Koleigh Vachereau, from Vermont, said she had moved in 2022 to do a Master’s degree in Denmark, because she “wanted to get away from the political situation”.

“I saw the rise in support for Donald Trump and I had a feeling he would win the 2024 election,” she said. “I didn’t want him to win and I didn’t want to be a part of that.” 

Scott Bornstein, from Las Vegas, said the opportunity to move to Denmark had come up before November’s election, but that when it came to Trump’s return, the couple “had a feeling it may happen”.

“It certainly influenced our decision to ‘go for it’ and now we feel like we never want to leave Denmark,” he said.

Kirstie Le Métayer, from Georgia, said that while she moved before the election, if she had known Trump would be elected, “it would have definitely been the deciding factor”. 

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Trump’s first term

Several respondents said they had left the US during Trump’s first term between 2016 and 2020, and that his possible return had deterred them from risking a move home.  

“I actually moved to Denmark when he was elected the first time, because I didn’t want my children growing up in what the US has become,” said Michael Bailey, from Washington, DC, who moved to Denmark seven years ago.

“That he was reelected was just confirmation that I made the right choice.”

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Trump not a factor

Eleven respondents said that Donald Trump had not been a factor in their decision to move, and three did not answer this question. 

Of those two moved because they fell in love with a Danish citizen, three because they were worried about deteriorating safety in the US, one because they wanted their half-Danish children to qualify for Danish free university tuition and enjoy free healthcare, and two because of their job.

Only one of those who said Trump was not a factor said they supported him as the US leader, with several of the rest saying that his second presidency had made them unwilling to return to the US. 

“Trump’s reelection has definitely made me not want to move back to the USA,” said Karen Eisenhut, from New Jersey. “I have two young daughters and Trump’s America is not a place I want to raise them.”

Robert Goodman, from Philadelphia, said he had moved to Copenhagen in 2020 before the election of Joe Biden, because “the US no longer seemed like a place we wanted to live”. 

“I can’t believe he was elected again,” he wrote, saying he had turned down a job offer in the US that was in every other respect “a fantastic opportunity”. 

“We can’t imagine moving back or really even visiting while Trump is president.” 

Have you left the US for Denmark partly or totally because of the election of Donald Trump? Please tell us about it in the comments section below.