Rosie O'Donnell returned to national television as a guest host on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Monday, using the platform to reignite her long-standing feud with former President Donald Trump.
During her opening monologue, O'Donnell, who is set to host the show for the week while Jimmy Kimmel is on vacation, targeted Trump with several insults. She alluded to his past dislike of the show, telling the audience, "The president hated ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Buckle up, people."
O'Donnell, 64, referred to Trump as "Mango Mussolini" and recounted a story about her decision to move to Ireland in January 2025, which she attributed to Trump's 2024 election victory. She described telling her teenage child about the move, with the child explaining to classmates, "I’m very sorry. I won’t be able to graduate sixth grade with you. I’m being forced to move to another country because the president of the United States hates my mother. But in all fairness, I believe my mother hates him more."
At one point, O'Donnell looked directly into the camera and addressed Trump, saying, "Hi, I know you’re watching."
Later in the show, O'Donnell appeared emotional while paying tribute to Hayden Panettiere, a former guest on “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” who died at age 36. However, she concluded her monologue with another jab at Trump, remarking, "You know, right now he’s in the White House crying because I haven’t mentioned him."
Trump responded to O'Donnell's remarks via a post on Truth Social, sharing a cartoon depicting her thinking about him with the caption, "She (?) is obsessed!"
O'Donnell told Variety that she was surprised by the offer to host the show, given their past