George Clooney issued a warning about the American economy during the holiday season in December 2025, suggesting that wealthy citizens are no longer enchanted by the "American Dream." In France, where he and his family recently obtained citizenship, he told Esquire magazine: "They don't care that much about fame," adding that he wants to keep his children away from "Hollywood culture... wandering around worried about photographers" or "being compared to other celebrity children."
Clooney appears not to be alone in this sentiment. A new survey indicates that 6 in 10 wealthy Americans are considering leaving the United States within the next 5 years — a powerful signal of eroding confidence at the top of the economic ladder.
This is the headline finding of a survey conducted in May 2026 covering 1,733 Americans whose household annual incomes exceed $200,000. The survey was carried out by Apex Capital Partners, a firm specialising in wealth management, second-citizenship programmes, and offshore investments. The results reveal a wealthy class increasingly looking toward the exit — not because of hardship, but as a result of strategic calculations.
These findings come at a time when the United States recorded a negative net migration in 2025 — more people leaving than arriving — for the first time in approximately 90 years, a trend that aligns squarely with Clooney's overseas ventures. The Apex survey suggests that the wealthy are not merely observers of this shift, but its driving force.
Culture wars
For years, the narrative around Americans relocating abroad centred on political disillusionment. But the current data tells a more nuanced story. When asked why they were considering leaving, "cost of living and taxes" ranked first at 68% among those contemplating emigration, surpassing "the political climate" at 54%. "Access to healthcare" (39%), "public safety" (29%), and "education" (21%) rounded out the top five reasons.
Nouri Katz, founder of Apex Capital Partners, says: "It was somewhat surprising to me." Previously, most of his American clients were driven by politics, but now: "We see clients from both sides of the political divide. People on the left fear Trump, and people on the right who support Trump fear the backlash... a sharp lurch to the left, socialist access to power. Everyone is feeling tremendous tension."
He added: "Wealthy Americans are increasingly treating emigration as a strategic financial move to protect their assets and families against political instability and rising costs."
Economic pessimism
Economic anxiety extends beyond simply choosing a destination. Some 42% of respondents rated the current American economy as "poor" or "very poor," while only 31% described it as "strong" or "very strong."
This pessimism is notably concentrated at the top. A Gallup survey conducted last November found that approximately 20% of all Americans want to permanently relocate abroad. Among households earning more than $200,000, the Apex survey puts that figure at three times higher, suggesting that economic anxiety is sharpest among those with the most assets to protect and the greatest means to take practical action.
Katz explained that most entrepreneurs and wealthy individuals hold assets denominated in dollars — such as retirement accounts, real estate, and equity portfolios — saying: "People are beginning to realise that the dollar will not remain the reserve currency forever, and that this dominance may end sooner rather than later."
The survey also reflects the mood of a country in a state of conflict. Three out of 4 respondents said that the ongoing war in Iran causes them concern about America's future.
Where are they headed?
Europe is by far the preferred destination, cited by 42% of those considering relocation, followed by Canada (18%) and the Caribbean (16%), while South America and Asia trailed at 10% each.
The attraction of Europe and the Caribbean goes beyond lifestyle alone; both regions are home to "golden visa" and "citizenship by investment" programmes — pathways that allow high-net-worth individuals to obtain residency or citizenship in exchange for qualifying investments.
Nevertheless, Katz sounded a warning about Europe, saying: "I think people will realise that Europe is not the solution," describing the European Union as a "dysfunctional organisation" and noting that many European economies are in "a state of flux" with declining quality of life, where social welfare systems designed for the 20th century appear unsustainable in the modern economy.
The movement is not limited to individuals — capital is on the move too. Around 63% of respondents said they had considered diversifying their assets outside the United States. For a segment earning more than $200,000 a year, this is a highly significant signal for advisers, fund managers, and policymakers monitoring domestic wealth flow trends.
Katz, who has worked in the "investor migration" sector for 30 years, concludes: "We felt this surge in demand from the United States and decided to study it... and frankly, I was surprised — I don't want to say shocked — by the prevailing sentiment among the wealthy. This is a boon for my company, but it is a problem for the United States."