In an ongoing saga of public confrontations between President Donald Trump and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, a fresh episode emerged when Trump used his social media platform, Truth Social, to suggest that he might consider revoking O’Donnell’s citizenship. This provocative statement came on a Saturday and reminded many of the long-standing feud between the two, which has roots extending back several years.
Trump’s posts contained sharp criticism, where he remarked, “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!” This rhetoric highlights both Trump’s characteristic confrontational style and his willingness to engage in controversial dialogues with public figures who criticize him.
Responses to Trump’s incendiary comment came swiftly. Legal expert Steve Vladeck, who serves as a CNN Supreme Court analyst and teaches at Georgetown Law, stated that Trump’s threats of what he termed “coercive expatriation” are blatantly unconstitutional. He highlighted the complexities surrounding denaturalizing a U.S. citizen, emphasizing, “For good reasons, it is difficult to denaturalize a U.S. citizen and even harder to expatriate one.” Underlining this point, Vladeck noted that Congress has only outlined a few circumstances where the executive branch might attempt such measures, and the Supreme Court maintains significant constitutional limits even in those rare cases.
As the public debated Trump’s posts, O’Donnell’s prior criticisms of the president seized headlines. Just a week prior, she had posted a TikTok video where she lambasted the Trump administration’s handling of the floods in Texas, arguing that the president had severely undermined federal response capabilities by dismantling existing warning systems and forecasts. Her remarks drew considerable media attention, likely prompting Trump’s ire.
Intriguingly, O’Donnell, who was born in America, had moved to Ireland shortly before Trump’s inauguration in January; her motivations, she shared with CNN in April, were driven by concerns about a potential Trump reelection and the implications of his policies for her and her nonbinary child. O’Donnell stated, “I have no regrets. Not a day has gone by that I thought it was the wrong decision. I was welcomed with open arms.”
When addressing Trump’s threat to revoke her citizenship through social media, she wrote defiantly, “you want to revoke my citizenship? go ahead and try, king joffrey with a tangerine spray tan. i’m not yours to silence. i never was.” This pointed critique paints Trump as an authoritarian figure, drawing parallels with the fictional character King Joffrey from the series “Game of Thrones.”
Further, O’Donnell has been consistent in her criticism of Trump’s leadership, indicating in an interview with Ireland’s RTÉ Radio 1 that she perceives him as “a danger to the world.” She firmly stated, “I am very proud to be opposed to every single thing he says and does and represents.” Her criticisms extend beyond mere political disagreements; they touch upon issues of racism, sexism, and misogyny, which she attributes to him.
When asked directly about Trump’s threats regarding her citizenship, O’Donnell expressed understanding of the limitations of Trump’s power, saying, “I know he can’t do that, but the Supreme Court has given him unbridled powers, and who knows what he can and can’t do.” This reflects a state of concern regarding potential overreach by the executive branch, particularly against marginalized communities. “He shouldn’t be allowed to be doing what he is to immigrants in the United States without due process, but he’s doing it anyway,” she added, calling into question the state of democracy in the current political environment.
The longstanding feud between Trump and O’Donnell dates back to at least 2006, following O’Donnell’s disparaging remarks while co-hosting “The View,” where she labeled Trump as a “snake-oil salesman.” Since then, their public spat has included various insults; Trump has labeled O’Donnell as “a real loser,” “crude, rude, obnoxious, and dumb,” and even “a pig.”
This exchange, per CNN reports, continues to illustrate not just the personal battles between public figures, but also broader societal tensions reflected in contemporary discourse, encapsulating issues of power, voice, and the role of humor and satire in politics. As this saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how it will influence public perception and future interactions between these two iconic personalities.
