Rosie O'Donnell has credited Donald Trump with her recent resurgence in public recognition, suggesting that his frequent commentary about her has unintentionally aided her career. The White House, however, has characterized the actress and television personality as being “obsessed” with the former president.
"I feel like recently I’m re-famous. That’s what I feel. I told my kids, well kids, hold on ’cause mommy’s re-famous. I don’t know how it happened. I think it’s Mango Mussolini,” O’Donnell said in an interview on the “Good Hang” podcast with Amy Poehler. She added, “I think it’s him who did it. He didn’t know. If he knew how much he was helping my career and my life, he would shut up about me because, you know, he’s a horrible creature.”
O'Donnell and Trump have a long-standing public rivalry, with the comedian being a vocal critic of the president. The ongoing feud, O'Donnell theorizes, may stem from their shared New York upbringing. She told Variety in July that some people have commented on their perceived vocal similarities, which she finds disconcerting.
"I think I’m one of those tough girls from elementary school and junior high that said to him, ‘Shut the hell up! You’re not playing with us. Get out of here, you freakin’ idiot!’ And he never got past it. I think I trigger him like a PTSD response of all his failures in his life as a kid,” O'Donnell stated. She suggested that she reminds Trump of girls from his youth who rejected him, a dynamic that she believes frightens him.
This sentiment was echoed on Sophia Bush's “Work in Progress” podcast, where O'Donnell agreed with the assessment that Trump is “obsessed” with her. She posited that Trump “grew up with girls like me — tough, probably gay Irish girls who didn’t take s— from no stupid rich boy wannabe.”
The White House pointed to a June 6 post on Trump's Truth Social account, which featured images of O'Donnell with Trump appearing in thought bubbles and the caption stating O'Donnell “is obsessed.”
O'Donnell also indicated that she might return to ABC's "The View" for its 30th-anniversary episode in the upcoming season, following a reported tense interaction with host Whoopi Goldberg. However, Brian Teta, a producer for "The View," posted on X that no official invitations for the anniversary had been extended, appearing to contradict O'Donnell's statement. "We love seeing all the excitement about The View’s 30th, lots of plans are in the works, but no invites have gone out," Teta wrote.
O'Donnell's career has seen increased visibility recently, including appearances on multiple podcasts and shows. She is scheduled to guest host Jimmy Kimmel's show for a week starting next week. She relocated to Ireland following the 2024 election.