Rosie O'Donnell has disclosed that she made a covert return to the United States to assess the situation after former President Donald Trump threatened to strip her of her citizenship. This followed her relocation to Ireland last year, which she attributed to feeling unsafe under Trump's leadership.
Secret Visit to Test the Waters
The 63-year-old former talk show host revealed on SiriusXM's Cuomo Mornings that she quietly spent two weeks in the US without informing many people. "I recently went home for two weeks and I did not really tell anyone. I just went to see my family," O'Donnell stated. She explained her motivation: "I wanted to see how hard it would be for me to get in and out of the country. I wanted to feel what it felt like."
Family Reunion and Safety Concerns
O'Donnell, a mother of five, emphasized her desire to reunite with her children, saying, "I wanted to hold my children again." She left the US in January 2025 with her youngest child, Clay, while her four older children remained in America. The visit was also a precautionary measure before bringing her daughter back for the summer. "I also wanted to make sure that it was safe for me before I brought my daughter this summer," she added.
Longstanding Feud with Trump
The move to Ireland in March 2025 came amid a protracted feud with Trump, dating back to her time as a co-host on The View. In July 2025, Trump publicly threatened to revoke her citizenship, posting on social media: "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." He described her as "a Threat to Humanity" and suggested she remain in Ireland.
O'Donnell's Response and Reflections
O'Donnell fired back on Instagram, calling Trump "a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself." She defended her decision to move, stating, "This is why I moved to Ireland." During her secret visit, she noted that the US felt like "a very different country" after a year away from American news and culture. She described the energy as unsettling: "The energy that I felt while in the United States... it was scary. There's a feeling that something is really wrong and no one is doing anything about it."
Life in Ireland and Personal Changes
O'Donnell expressed no regrets about leaving the US, saying, "I think I did what I needed to do to save myself, my child and my sanity." She praised her new life in Ireland for providing "more balance" and noted the absence of celebrity worship. Additionally, she has been open about her significant weight loss since moving, attributing it to the diabetes medication Mounjaro. "I've lost more weight here. I am on Mounjaro for my diabetes and one of the side effects is you lose weight," she shared in a TikTok video, expressing shock at now wearing a size large instead of XL or XXL.
Overall, O'Donnell's secret return highlights the ongoing tensions with Trump and her efforts to navigate personal safety and family ties amidst political turmoil.
