Barbra Streisand says she ‘can’t live in this country’ if Donald Trump wins 2024 presidential election
Renowned singer and actor Barbra Streisand has been vocal about her strong disapproval of former President Donald Trump. In her song “Don’t Lie to Me,” she coldly serenaded Trump and expressed her dissatisfaction with his presidency 1. Streisand has referred to Trump as “the Liar in Chief” and “the Groper in Chief,” criticizing his intelligence and knowledge 2.
She has also stated that she cannot live in the United States if he were to be re-elected in 2024.Streisand’s criticism of Trump is not new. She has previously made similar statements, even after Trump’s victory in the 2016 election. However, she did not follow through on her previous vows to leave the country if he won.
Streisand’s dislike for Trump is evident in her 2018 album, “Walls,” which contains multiple songs that take aim at the former president. In a recent interview with Stephen Colbert, Streisand reiterated her stance, stating that she would move out of the United States if Trump were to win the 2024 presidential election. She expressed her preference for England as a potential new home.
Streisand’s strong opposition to Trump’s presidency is rooted in her belief that America was already great before he took office. It is worth noting that Streisand is not the only celebrity who has made similar threats to leave the country if Trump won. However, it remains to be seen whether she and others will follow through on their promises.
Streisand’s outspokenness about politics is not new. As a longtime Democratic supporter and fundraiser, she has actively campaigned for Democratic candidates, including Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. Her latest remarks about Trump reflect her ongoing disapproval of his presidency and her desire for a different political landscape in the United States.As an iconic figure in the entertainment industry, Streisand’s criticism of Trump and her plan to leave the country if he wins again in 2024 have garnered attention. Her music and public statements serve as a reflection of her political beliefs and her desire for change in the United States.
Speaking with Associated Press about the song, she said, “I wanted to talk about the things that were making me feel so sad, heartbroken.” Streisand continues, “I just can’t stand what’s going on. His assault on our democracy, our institutions, our founders – I think we’re in a fight…We’re in a war for the soul of America.”
The Grammy-nominated album – a musical homage to Trump’s tyranny – includes songs like “Don’t Lie to Me,” which Streisand explains was motivated by the news that made her “sick, listening to lies, listening to things that are such craziness.”
“I can’t stand being lied to, and I don’t think the country should be lied to either.” She then quips, “And I just couldn’t comprehend how he could tell all these lies with absolutely no guilt (clearly he’s not Jewish.)”
‘Art is the enemy of tyrants’
Explaining why she’s compelled to be politically involved, Streisand sounds off on the friction between politicians and artists in her 2023 memoir, “My Name is Barbra.”
“Why does it make so many people angry when artists speak out?” Babs asks. “Artists, Streisand said, can serve as ‘a country’s conscience.’ Their work gives us a reflection of the times, and sometimes they challenge us to see what others would prefer to ignore. They can give voice to the voiceless, by speaking up when no one else will.”
She adds, “That’s why art is the enemy of tyrants and dictators.”
Offering her powerful voice unfortunately didn’t sway the voting population.
‘Planet’s gone bonkers’
Ahead of the 2016 elections, the Prince of Tides star told the Australian version of 60 Minutes, “He has no facts. I don’t know, I can’t believe it. I’m either coming to your country [Australia], if you’ll let me in, or Canada.”
But Streisand wasn’t the only A-list celebrity who claimed they would leave the U.S. if Trump took office.
The Wrap reports that comedian George Lopez joked that he’d go back to Mexico: “If [Trump] wins, he won’t have to worry about immigration, we’ll all go back.”
Chelsea Handler, who voiced her determination to leave, reversed her decision the day after Trump’s victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. “Yesterday, my staff reminded me that platforms and voices like mine are needed more than ever; leaving the country is quitting.”
Meanwhile, other celebrities were more creative with their escape plans.
Comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart said, “I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planet’s gone bonkers.”
@cher Donald will NEVER be president! If he’s elected I’m moving to Australia mark my words
— Gabe (@gabeAlfassy) June 16, 2015
And Cher, tweeted, “IF HE WERE TO BE ELECTED, IM MOVING TO JUPITER.”
Post Trump
After spending “four years in a dark hole,” the star of 1983’s Yentl told People of President Joe Biden “the country is certainly headed in the right direction.” The 2021 interview continues, “I love Biden. I love his compassion, his honesty, his integrity, his love of facts, not fiction.”
“Since 2016, we’ve been dragged down into the mud of Trump’s swamp. He has demolished our standing in the world with his laughable boasts and breathtaking ignorance,” she writes in an essay for Variety.
‘Restore nobility of truth’
Now, Streisand is voicing her concerns over the upcoming elections and Trump as the clear Republican frontrunner.
Appearing on an episode of The Late Show, the legendary singer and actor told the host Stephen Colbert, that she won’t tolerate living in a country ruled by the man she earlier called “so stupid” and “so ill-informed.”
“I can’t live in this country if he becomes president,” Streisand said, adding if she relocates, she’ll probably head to England because “I like England.”
“Trump is a man who has never once taken responsibility for his own actions, preferring to blame others when he’s at fault. Even impeachment hasn’t humbled him, because thanks to his Republican enablers, he has escaped accountability once again,” she writes.
“We need a new America, without pollution, without obscenities, without insults, without revenge. We need to restore the nobility of truth…and only then will America be great again.”
If Streisand circles back to Canada as a new potential home, she’ll have to act quickly as the Republicans are also calling to build a wall along the border of Canada.
