Fact Check: Did Marco Rubio deny Ellen DeGeneres' application for repatriation to USA?

WASHINGTON, DC: A viral rumor is swirling around Ellen DeGeneres, who had left the US after President Donald Trump’s second term began. DeGeneres reportedly left the US after Trump returned to White House, citing a mix of personal and political reasons. The claim suggests that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has denied her application to return to the country. But is this true? Let’s fact-check the claim.

Claim: Marco Rubio denies Ellen DeGeneres' application to return to US

An X user shared a post claiming that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had reported Ellen DeGeneres’ application to return to the US had been denied. The post included a screenshot stating, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ellen DeGeneres’ application to repatriate to the United States has been denied.”

The screenshot also attributed a statement to State Department spokesman Benja Orro, “Ms. DeGeneres voluntarily forfeited her citizenship when she left. Nobody forced her to do that.” It continued, “Orro says the former actress and daytime talk show host will have to ‘get in line’ like everyone else. There’s a process for immigration and citizenship, regardless of your background.”

Within hours, the post went viral on X, receiving over 269K views and 855 comments, with many users believing the claim. However, some questioned its authenticity, asking whether DeGeneres had truly renounced her citizenship and requesting credible sources to verify the report.

Fact Check: False, Marco Rubio did not deny Ellen DeGeneres’ application

There is no official report to support the claim that Marco Rubio denied Ellen DeGeneres’ application to return to the US. A Google search using keywords like 'Marco Rubio denied Ellen DeGeneres application' and 'Ellen DeGeneres repatriation application' yielded no credible news reports, only unverified posts circulating on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms.

If the claim were true, major news outlets would have covered it, and Rubio himself would likely have made a public statement. Instead, no credible sources are confirming the report, and the viral post included no verifiable source.

This is not the first time a similar false claim has circulated online. Previously, a viral post targeted Rosie O’Donnell, who also left the US after Trump’s second term began.

The satirical post falsely claimed her passport had been revoked and that Rubio confirmed the cancellation. It alleged that she had forfeited her US citizenship and would have to remain in Ireland, even including a fabricated quote attributed to Rubio, “She wanted to be an Irish citizen. Now she can stay there.”