Why Rosie O’Donnell visited US after Trump citizenship threats

Rosie O’Donnell left the US final yr within the wake of Donald Trump’s second election — however she lately visited for a vibe examine.

The comic, who moved to Eire in January 2025, revealed why she returned after a yr overseas.

“I used to be lately dwelling for 2 weeks, and I did not actually inform anybody,” O’Donnell mentioned in a brand new interview with Chris Cuomo on the SiriusXM present Cuomo Mornings. “I simply went to see my household. I needed to see how laborious it will be for me to get in and in a foreign country. I needed to really feel what it felt like. I needed to carry my kids once more. And I hadn’t been dwelling in over a yr.”

O’Donnell beforehand defined why she relocated to Eire. “It has been heartbreaking to see what’s occurring politically and laborious for me personally as properly,” she mentioned, including that she would contemplate transferring again solely “when it’s protected for all residents to have equal rights there in America.”

Whereas the League of Their Personal actress lives in Eire now together with her 13-year-old youngster, her 4 grownup kids stay stateside.

“I additionally needed to guarantee that it was protected for me earlier than I introduced my daughter this summer time, the place we plan to spend {the summertime} off from her education right here with my household,” O’Donnell mentioned of her current go to within the interview. “My son is having his first youngster. So we’re very excited to be dwelling.”

O’Donnell was shocked by how a lot her unique dwelling had modified for her after she’d spent a yr away. “I used to be in New York for the final two weeks, and I’ve to inform you, it looks like a really totally different nation, a really totally different place to me,” she mentioned, noting how disconnected she has turn into. “As a result of for a yr I have never been watching the information. I have never been watching American tradition tv.”

She defined how Irish tradition feels distinct from that of the US “I am in a spot the place celeb worship doesn’t exist. I have been in a spot the place there’s extra stability to the information, there’s extra stability to life,” she mentioned. “It isn’t everybody making an attempt to get extra, extra, extra. It is a very totally different tradition. And I felt america in a totally totally different method than I ever had earlier than I left.”

O’Donnell added that she utterly stands by her determination to maneuver. “I do not remorse leaving in any respect,” she mentioned. “I believe I did what I wanted to do to avoid wasting myself, my youngster, and my sanity. And I am very pleased that I am not in the course of it there, as a result of the power that I felt whereas I used to be in america was — if I can use the simplest phrase I can consider — it was scary. There is a feeling that one thing is absolutely flawed, and no one is doing something about it.”

O’Donnell had beforehand prevented returning to the States attributable to safety issues. “My daughter graduated school and I did not return as a result of the safety folks instructed me they did not assume it was smart,” the comic revealed in September. “As a result of I believe Trump will use me to rile his base.”

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Trump and O’Donnell have a long-standing feud that dates again to her time as a cohost on The View. In July, the president threatened to revoke the actress’ citizenship.

“Due to the truth that Rosie O’Donnell isn’t in the most effective pursuits of our Nice Nation, I’m giving critical consideration to taking away her Citizenship,” Trump wrote on his Reality Social platform. “She is a Menace to Humanity, and they need to stay within the great Nation of Eire, if they need her.”

O’Donnell was fast to reply on Instagram. “The president of the USA has all the time hated the truth that I see him for whom he’s – a prison with man sexual-abusing liar out to hurt our nation to serve himself,” she wrote. “Because of this I moved to Eire – he’s a harmful previous soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy, compassion, and primary humanity.”