Rosie O'Donnell said she did not attend her daughter’s college graduation because her security team advised against returning to the United States amid threats tied to her long-running feud with President Donald Trump.
O'Donnell made the remarks in a recent episode of Mamamia’s "No Filter" podcast with host Kate Langbroek, saying the decision to stay in Ireland was motivated by safety concerns. "Because I think Trump will use me to rile his base ... I’m his nemesis in his mind and to them, a lot of — like a third of the country," she said. O'Donnell added that her security personnel "didn’t think it was wise" for her to make the trip for the graduation.
O'Donnell said she moved to Ireland in January with her daughter Dakota, less than a week before what she described as the start of the president's second term. She has said she began the process of obtaining Irish citizenship in March and would consider returning to the United States "when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there." She described the move as "very hard" and said it was "not a political statement as much as it was self-preservation." She also said the relocation had been "quite a success."
In the interview, O'Donnell reiterated accusations that Trump has continued to target her since she criticized him on ABC's The View years ago. She said Trump has used her "as a punchline" and that he reacted differently to her criticism than to remarks from many male comedians. The president has previously described O'Donnell as a "threat to humanity," and O'Donnell has said he publicly alluded to her weight and drinking during his first term.
O'Donnell called Trump "misogynistic and sexist and cruel" and warned that the United States is "in serious trouble," while stressing her continued affection for the country. "People say to me, ‘Why do you still talk about him and the country if you left?’" she said. "I care about my country, I love my country, I am very patriotic and I knew that I would not be able to deal with what was about to happen and it certainly has."
The comedian's comments come amid heightened public scrutiny of exchanges between public figures and the president. O'Donnell said that threats and the potential for her to be used as a political symbol influenced her family's decisions. She said she surprised herself by moving abroad but reiterated that the choice was made to protect her family while remaining engaged with U.S. politics on social media.
O'Donnell's public dispute with Trump spans years and includes repeated back-and-forth comments from both sides. In the podcast, she described the personal toll of that rancor and said she would return to the U.S. when she believed it would be safe for citizens to enjoy equal rights.