After President Donald Trump’s re-election, Rosie O’Donnell made a quiet return to the U.S. following her self-imposed exile in Ireland.
In a recent conversation on Chris Cuomo’s SiriusXM show, the actress, now 63, shared that she came back to see her family. She had relocated to Ireland with her teenage daughter in January 2025, shortly before Trump’s second inauguration.
“I was home for a couple of weeks and didn’t really tell anyone,” she mentioned to Cuomo. “I just wanted to visit my family. I was curious about how difficult it was to travel back and forth. I missed hugging my kids; it’s been over a year since I was home.”
She also expressed a desire to ensure it would be “safe” for her and her daughter to return in the summer to spend time with family during the school break.
While living in Ireland, O’Donnell shared that she doesn’t keep up with the news or American cultural television. As a result, America feels “like a totally different country” compared to when she lived there.
“I’ve reached a point where there’s no obsession with celebrity here,” she explained. “The news feels more balanced, and life has a different pace. It’s not about everyone constantly wanting more. It feels like a different culture here, and I see the U.S. through a new lens.”
O’Donnell has no regrets about leaving, stating she took necessary steps to safeguard her mental well-being and her children’s safety. She remarked on the “scary” energy in the U.S. and expressed relief at not being in the midst of it. “It seems like something is off, but no one is addressing it,” she added.
Her rocky relationship with Trump spans two decades, starting when she criticized him on “The View.” Over the years, they have exchanged barbs, with O’Donnell even saying Trump uses her as a way to rally his supporters.
After announcing her intention to move to Ireland, O’Donnell revealed in an interview with a UK newspaper that she was seeking Irish citizenship.
White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson remarked at the time, “What great news for America!”
Trump has threatened to strip O’Donnell of her U.S. citizenship on multiple occasions, asserting she poses a threat to the country. In a July 2025 post, he stated that her presence was not in the nation’s best interests and suggested she remain in Ireland.
In another September 2025 message, he declared she wasn’t a “great American,” implying she could never be one.
O’Donnell countered Trump’s threats by reminding him of constitutional principles. “He can’t do that because it’s unconstitutional,” she stated, reinforcing that only a voluntary renunciation could result in the loss of citizenship. “I would never renounce my American citizenship” she emphasized, expressing pride in her nationality.
Moreover, O’Donnell mentioned she’s applying for dual citizenship in Ireland, enjoying the peace and political climate there while still wanting to maintain her American roots. “My children are in the States, and I’ll continue to visit, which is my right as an American citizen,” she concluded.
According to the U.S. Constitution, the president cannot revoke the citizenship of anyone born in the country. Therefore, since O’Donnell was born in New York, her citizenship is secure under the 14th Amendment.
