Ellen DeGeneres issued a rare public statement of support for Rosie O’Donnell on Sunday after President Donald Trump threatened to revoke O’Donnell’s U.S. citizenship. The former talk show host shared a screenshot of Trump’s social media post along with O’Donnell’s response on Instagram, writing “Good for you @rosie.”
The controversy began Saturday when Trump posted on Truth Social that he was giving serious consideration to taking away O’Donnell’s citizenship. He labeled the comedian as a threat to humanity and suggested she should remain in Ireland, where she currently lives with her 12-year-old adopted child, Clay.
O’Donnell responded hours later with a scathing Instagram post that accused Trump of being rattled and claimed she still lives rent-free in his collapsing brain after 18 years. She characterized herself as everything Trump fears: a loud woman, a queer woman, and a mother who tells the truth. O’Donnell also described herself as an American who got out of the country before Trump set it ablaze.
The comedian’s response included a photograph of Trump standing beside Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier who was convicted of sex trafficking charges. O’Donnell concluded her message by challenging Trump to try revoking her citizenship, comparing him to King Joffrey from Game of Thrones with a tangerine spray tan. She declared that she was not his to silence and never had been.
DeGeneres’ public support for O’Donnell comes despite their well-documented tensions spanning more than two decades. The relationship between the two comedians deteriorated in 2004 after DeGeneres appeared on Larry King Live and told the CNN host that she did not really know O’Donnell well and that they were not really friends. This comment reportedly hurt O’Donnell’s feelings significantly.
O’Donnell revealed in a 2022 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that she had been invited to appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to promote a Showtime series but declined because the show would not allow her to bring someone on with her. She indicated that while there was no animosity between them, the relationship remained awkward.
Both comedians have relocated from the United States since Trump’s 2024 election victory. DeGeneres moved to the Cotswolds area of England in November 2024 with her wife, Portia de Rossi. Media reports suggested the move was in response to Trump’s election, though neither DeGeneres nor de Rossi have publicly confirmed this motivation.
O’Donnell relocated to Ireland on January 15, just days before Trump’s inauguration. In a March TikTok video, she expressed her love for living in Ireland and praised the Irish people as loving, kind, and welcoming. O’Donnell indicated she chose to move because of Trump’s return to the presidency and stated she would consider returning to America when it was safe for all citizens to have equal rights.
The comedian had previously revealed in April that she and her non-binary autistic child were in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship. O’Donnell told CNN that she had no regrets about her decision to move and that not a single day had passed where she thought it was the wrong choice. She emphasized that she was welcomed with open arms in Ireland.
Legal experts have noted that Trump lacks the constitutional authority to revoke anyone’s citizenship. The 14th Amendment protects citizenship rights for all people born on U.S. soil, and current law prevents Americans from losing their citizenship status even if they obtain citizenship elsewhere. O’Donnell, who was born in New York, cannot legally have her citizenship stripped by presidential decree.
The Trump administration has pursued various immigration-related policies since taking office in January. The president has sought to end birthright citizenship guaranteed under the 14th Amendment, though several courts have already struck down these attempts. A recently unveiled Department of Justice memo outlines plans to maximally pursue denaturalization of American citizens, marking an expansion of the administration’s immigration agenda.
O’Donnell’s move to Ireland appears to have been motivated by concerns about the political climate and policies affecting her family. In her response to Trump’s citizenship threat, she emphasized that she built a life for her autistic child in a country where decency still exists. She contrasted her approach with Trump’s, stating that while he builds walls, she builds lives, and while he sells fear, she makes art about surviving trauma.
DeGeneres’ decision to publicly support O’Donnell represents a notable moment given their strained relationship and DeGeneres’ typical avoidance of political commentary. The former talk show host has maintained a relatively low profile since The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022 amid workplace toxicity allegations. Her Instagram post supporting O’Donnell marks one of her rare public political statements in recent years.
The feud between Trump and O’Donnell dates back nearly two decades, with both figures exchanging public barbs over the years. O’Donnell has been a longtime critic of Trump both during and outside of his political career. Trump’s latest attack on O’Donnell appears to have been prompted by her criticism of his administration’s response to recent flooding in central Texas.
