- Rosie O’Donnell disclosed her recent two-week visit to the U.S., a year after relocating to Ireland to steer clear of Donald Trump’s potential second term.
- The entertainer mentioned her trip was for family visits and also to assess “how hard it would be for me to get in and out of the country.”
- O’Donnell further stated her desire “to see if it was safe for me,” following Trump’s threat to revoke her citizenship after her departure from the U.S.
Rosie O’Donnell departed the U.S. last year following Donald Trump’s re-election, but she recently made a brief return to gauge the atmosphere.
The entertainer, having relocated to Ireland in January 2025, explained her reasons for coming back after a year living overseas.
“I spent two weeks at home recently, largely unannounced,” O’Donnell shared in a recent conversation with Chris Cuomo on the SiriusXM program Cuomo Mornings. “My primary goal was to visit my family. I also aimed to assess the ease of re-entry and departure from the country. I desired to experience it firsthand. I wished to embrace my children once more. It had been over a year since my last visit.”
O’Donnell had previously articulated her reasons for moving to Ireland. “Witnessing the political climate unfold has been distressing, both generally and for me personally,” she remarked, stating that a return would only be contemplated “when all citizens in America are assured equal rights and safety.”
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Although the actress from League of Their Own currently resides in Ireland with her 13-year-old, her four grown children continue to live in the U.S.
“Furthermore, I aimed to confirm my safety before bringing my daughter over this summer, as we intend to spend her school break here with my relatives,” O’Donnell commented regarding her recent trip during the interview. “My son is expecting his first child, so we are thrilled to be back.”
O’Donnell expressed surprise at the significant transformation of her native country after a year’s absence. “Having spent the last two weeks in New York, I must admit, it feels like a profoundly different nation, a very altered environment to me,” she stated, highlighting her sense of detachment. “This is because for an entire year, I haven’t kept up with the news or watched American cultural television.”
She elaborated on the perceived differences between Irish and U.S. cultures. “I reside in a country where celebrity adulation is absent. I’ve experienced a place with a more balanced approach to news and life in general,” she remarked. “It’s not driven by an incessant quest for more, more, more. The culture is distinctly different. Consequently, my perception of the United States upon returning was unlike any I had before my departure.”
O’Donnell affirmed her unwavering support for her decision to relocate. “I have no regrets whatsoever about leaving,” she declared. “I believe I took the necessary steps to protect myself, my child, and my mental well-being. I’m profoundly relieved not to be directly immersed in it there, because the atmosphere I perceived while in the United States was — to put it simply — unsettling. There’s a prevailing sense that something is profoundly amiss, with a lack of action being taken.”
O’Donnell had earlier refrained from visiting the U.S. because of safety worries. “When my daughter completed college, I didn’t return as security personnel advised against it,” the comedian disclosed in September. “They believed Trump would exploit my presence to energize his supporters.”
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Trump and O’Donnell share a protracted rivalry originating from her tenure as a cohost on The View. In July, the president issued a threat to revoke the actress’s citizenship.
“Given that Rosie O’Donnell does not serve the best interests of our Great Country, I am seriously contemplating revoking her Citizenship,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “She poses a Threat to Humanity and ought to stay in the splendid Country of Ireland, should they desire her.”
O’Donnell promptly retorted on Instagram. “The President of the USA has consistently disliked my perception of him as a criminal, a con man, a sexual abuser, and a liar intent on damaging our nation for personal gain,” she penned. “My relocation to Ireland stems from this — he is a perilous, aged, soulless individual exhibiting signs of dementia, devoid of empathy, compassion, and fundamental humanity.”