Comedian Rosie O’Donnell has made a quiet return to the United States after more than a year of living in Ireland, a move she initially made in protest against former President Donald Trump’s re-election. O’Donnell relocated abroad with her teenage daughter just prior to Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s Cuomo Mornings, hosted by Chris Cuomo, she revealed her decision to return to America was motivated by a desire to assess the safety of her homeland.
“I was recently home for two weeks, and I did not really tell anyone,” O’Donnell shared with Cuomo. “I just went to see my family. I wanted to see how hard it would be for me to get in and out of the country. I wanted to feel what it felt like. I wanted to hold my children again. And I hadn’t been home in over a year.”
The visit came as O’Donnell sought reassurance about the environment in which she and her daughter might return later this year. Reflecting on her time away, she described the U.S. as feeling “like a very different country.” O’Donnell, who had been largely disconnected from American media during her time abroad, noted her experience in Ireland was marked by more balanced news and a different cultural atmosphere, far from the celebrity culture she once knew.
Despite her lengthy absence, O’Donnell emphasized that she has no regrets regarding her decision to expatriate, citing it as necessary for her well-being and her daughter’s. She conveyed feelings of unease about the current political climate in the U.S., stating, “There’s a feeling that something is really wrong, and no one is doing anything about it.”
Longtime tensions between O’Donnell and Trump date back to her critiques of him on “The View” nearly two decades ago. In a 2025 interview, O’Donnell indicated her intention to apply for Irish citizenship, a decision met with Trump’s signature inflammatory rhetoric. Following her move, Trump controversially suggested on social media that he might consider revoking her U.S. citizenship, to which O’Donnell firmly responded, asserting her pride in being an American and clarifying that his actions were unconstitutional.
O’Donnell’s pursuit of dual citizenship underscores her complicated connection to her homeland while embracing her life abroad. “I am also getting my citizenship here so I can have dual citizenship in Ireland and the United States because I enjoy living here,” she explained. Her remarks highlight both a longing for familial bonds back in America and an appreciation for the peace she has found in Ireland’s culture and politics.
Through her journey, O’Donnell’s experience resonates with many Americans grappling with similar feelings of uncertainty and the search for personal safety and happiness in a changing world.