Rosie O'Donnell stated on Tuesday that President Donald Trump is responsible for her recent return to prominence, referring to him as "Mango Mussolini" and a "horrible creature." She made these remarks on the "Good Hang" podcast with host Amy Poehler.
"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. "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 history of public exchanges, with the comedian being a vocal critic of the president. Following Trump's 2024 election victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris, O'Donnell relocated to Ireland.
The White House responded to O'Donnell's comments by referencing a June 6 post on Trump's Truth Social account, which included images of O'Donnell with Trump appearing in thought bubbles and a caption stating she is "obsessed."
O'Donnell has previously suggested that her long-standing public disagreement with Trump stems partly from their shared origins. In an interview with Variety in July, she noted that both were born and raised in New York, and that some people have remarked on their similar speaking patterns.
"There have been so many comedians who have said things about him, but I am from the same area that he’s from," O'Donnell told Variety. "But 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."
She theorized that she reminds Trump of girls who told him he was "nothing," an experience she believes frightens him. Earlier this week, O'Donnell echoed similar sentiments on Sophia Bush's "Work in Progress" podcast, agreeing that Trump is "obsessed" with her and attributing it to his upbringing.
"He grew up with girls like me — tough, probably gay Irish girls who didn't take s--- from no stupid rich boy wannabe," O'Donnell said.
O'Donnell also indicated a potential 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 have been extended, seemingly contradicting O'Donnell's remarks.