Eva Longoria has clarified her reason why she decided to leave the United States with her family.
The Desperate Housewives alum, 49, recently revealed that she and her husband José Bastón, along with their six-year-old son Santiago, are splitting their time between living in Spain and Mexico City. However, Longoria wants fans to know that it isn’t because of the results of the 2024 US presidential election.
While making a surprise phone call appearance on The View: Behind the Table podcast on November 15, the Only Murders in the Building star explained to The View co-host Ana Navarro that she didn’t relocate from the states due to President-elect Donald Trump’s win over Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Will you please let them know I didn’t move out of the United States because of Trump?” Longoria asked Navarro on the podcast. “I’ve been in Europe for almost three years.”
She clarified that she left the U.S. because of work, adding: “I didn’t leave because of the political environment. I left because my work took me there.”
While the Texas native admitted that living outside the U.S. allows her some distance from “the constant 24-hour news cycle,” she claimed speculation that she had relocated because of American politics was “divisive.”
“We can’t be that way right now,” Longoria said.
In an interview with Marie Clarie published this week, the Casa Del Sol co-founder explained that the entertainment industry in Hollywood was “changing” long before the 2024 election, which influenced her family’s decision to move.
“I had my whole adult life here,” she said about California. “But even before [the pandemic], it was changing. The vibe was different. And then Covid happened, and it pushed it over the edge. Whether it’s the homelessness or the taxes, not that I want to s*** on California – it just feels like this chapter in my life is done now.”
The director acknowledged that she is “privileged” to be able to move countries.
“I get to escape and go somewhere. Most Americans aren’t so lucky. They’re going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and sadness is for them,” Longoria said.
In 2023, Longoria starred in the CNN mini-series Searching for Mexico, and is set to return to the network with another installment, titled Searching for Spain.
On November 6, it was announced that former president Trump had won a second term in the White House, as he claimed victory over Democratic nominee Harris. Longoria was one of the many celebrities who had endorsed Harris throughout her campaign, joining her and her selected vice president, Tim Walz, on the campaign trail.
Following the results of the election, Longoria admitted that she wasn’t surprised to see a Trump victory. “The shocking part is not that he won,” she told Marie Claire. “It’s that a convicted criminal who spews so much hate could hold the highest office.”
In light of the loss, however, Longoria vowed to continue her activism. “I would like to think our fight continues,” she said, while noting that “if [Trump] keeps his promises [America] is going to be a scary place.”
