President Donald Trump has once again ignited his longstanding feud with actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell in a dramatic move. In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump stated he was “giving serious thought” to revoking O’Donnell’s U.S. citizenship, branding her “not a Great American” and even labeling her a “threat to humanity.” While the rhetoric grabbed headlines, beneath the incendiary language lies a significant constitutional impossibility.
The origin of this antagonism dates back nearly two decades to a heated moment on The View when O’Donnell harshly criticized Trump’s conduct. Since then, their mutual disdain has played out through media and social platforms, with sharp exchanges becoming almost routine. The recent threat marks at least the second such call by Trump to strip her citizenship in the past few months.
Under the 14th Amendment, O’Donnell’s birthplace—Commack, New York—confers birthright citizenship that is shielded from unilateral executive revocation. Legal experts emphasize that a president has no authority to revoke citizenship for a native-born American; such a drastic act would defy constitutional protections and face immediate legal challenge.
O’Donnell has fired back with her trademark wit and defiance. In a previous confrontation, she likened Trump to King Joffrey from Game of Thrones, quipping, “Go ahead and try, King Joffrey with a tangerine spray tan. I’m not yours to silence. I never was.” More recently, she accused Trump of using her as a political distraction from scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein, quipping, “I’m the distraction. Epstein survivors are the reckoning and your gold lamé throne is melting.”
Earlier this year, O’Donnell relocated to Ireland with her child and is pursuing Irish citizenship. She cited the fraught political climate in the U.S. and the need to protect her non-binary, autistic child from perceived hostility as motivations for the move. She has stated she may consider returning to the U.S. only when equality and safety are ensured for all citizens.
Public reaction to Trump’s renewed threat has been sharply divided. Critics decry the rhetoric as reckless and authoritarian-leaning, while supporters dismiss it as typical Trump theatrics aimed at shifting attention and energizing his base. Meanwhile, O’Donnell’s back-and-forth responses continue to resonate with those who see her as a symbol of resistance.
In the end, this episode underscores the dramatic spectacle of modern American politics: a feud built less on legal or policy issues and more on raw personality and performance. O’Donnell’s move abroad and outspoken resistance frame her as a figure of resilience, while Trump’s unrelenting jabs reinforce his reputation for provocation and showmanship.
