Rosie O'Donnell and Trump keep fighting (Image via X / @MarcoFoster_)
Rosie O'Donnell has responded sharply after President Donald Trump issued fresh threats to strip her of U.S. citizenship in a controversial Truth Social post. On Wednesday night, Trump, aged 79, posted an unflattering, manipulated photo of O'Donnell, now 63, featuring exaggerated facial distortions and digitally added curled chin hairs.
The action immediately triggered online debate, especially as Trump's post coincided with public scrutiny over his handling of the recently released Epstein files. Reacting swiftly, O'Donnell shared Trump's doctored image on her Instagram account, writing, "banishing me again? logan roy would be proud. im the distraction - EPSTEIN SURVIVORS are the reckoning and your gold lamé throne is melting. only rosie o'donnell," drawing a pointed parallel with the fictional patriarch from the series Succession.
Trump's attack did not occur in a vacuum; it came after the family of Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's victims, accused the president of distraction tactics to divert attention from the unfolding Epstein revelations. Over the course of the evening, Trump posted a string of erratic videos on his Truth Social profile.
Among the slew of posts was a striking message about O'Donnell's status: "As previously mentioned, we are giving serious thought to taking away Rosie O'Donnell's Citizenship. She is not a Great American and is, in my opinion, incapable of being so!"
O'Donnell, a vocal critic of Trump for nearly two decades, recently left the United States and relocated to Ireland after Trump's 2024 electoral victory. She cited concerns about her family's safety and future, particularly regarding her non-binary 12-year-old child and the possible implications of Trump's Project 2025.
Reflecting on her decision, O'Donnell told the Today Show in Australia, "Trump has had a thing for me for 20 years, he's been very derogatory and slanderous and said horrible things. It affected me very much when he was in office last time. When he got the nomination I knew I had to take care of myself and my mental health and my children. I've been very lucky to come to Ireland and feel the warmth of an entire nation."
Her move, she confirmed, was completely politically motivated and tied directly to the current administration's actions.
After Trump's latest post, O'Donnell used Instagram stories to share multiple messages about the Epstein files and support for victims. One such post, originally from actor Steven Webber, boldly declared, "HE IS WAGING WAR ON AMERICA."
O'Donnell also reposted content from prominent Trump adversaries Gavin Newsom and Thomas Massie, and shared an image depicting the presidents on Mount Rushmore holding up the numbers 8, 6, 4, and 7, a cryptic reference to "86'ing 47," meaning, in coded language, to get rid of the 47th president, Trump.
This reference resurfaced memories of when former FBI Director James Comey was trailed by the Secret Service after he posted a similar number configuration at the beach, something Trump himself said, "A child knows what that meant," implying it was a veiled death threat.
The history between O'Donnell and Trump is infamous and stretches back to 2006. Then a host on The View, O'Donnell publicly mocked Trump's decision to let a pageant winner, caught in a substance use scandal, retain her Miss USA title.
"He's the moral authority!" she quipped, before pointing out his infidelities and financial troubles and then sealing her statement with, "Sit and spin, my friend!" Their feud only intensified as Trump's political star rose, with O'Donnell regularly criticizing his leadership.
Trump's fixation with O'Donnell extends into this year, as evidenced by prior Truth Social posts. In July, he wrote, "Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"
O'Donnell clapped back, writing, "The president of the USA has always hated the fact that I see him for who he is - a criminal con man, sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself. ...u gonna deport all who stand against ur evil tendencies - ur a bad joke who can't form a coherent sentence."
Amid all the public mudslinging, O'Donnell has never shied from challenging Trump's cognitive faculties. In her recent Today Show appearance, she remarked, "Now that he's older and he has what I believe is dementia, he keeps not answering questions by babbling and word salad. I don't even understand what he's saying half of the time."
Despite growing speculation regarding Trump's mental acuity, the White House physician publicly stated in April that Trump remained "in excellent health." Nonetheless, O'Donnell, among a bunch of other media and political personalities, including the ones belonging to the MAGA club, insist that his behavior paints a different picture.