In 2011, during a trip to Beirut where he spoke to a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, Abdo spoke out against the Assad government and how they were "responsible for killings within their borders". After returning to Syria, Abdo received a number of threats and was generally intimidated, and was criticized for his lack of patriotism. Following this, he moved to the United States in October 2011 to escape persecution. He joined his wife in Minnesota, where she was studying as a Humphrey fellow at the Fulbright Program. The couple later moved to Los Angeles so he could start acting again. After working several odd jobs, including delivering pizzas for Domino's Pizza, he landed several major roles, including Queen of the Desert and A Hologram for the King.