A terse declaration from former President Donald Trump sent shockwaves through social media last weekend—but what followed was an even fiercer response from Rosie O’Donnell, reigniting a feud as loud as ever. Their clash reached new heights, blending legal limits, personal accusations, and cultural flashpoints in a storm of headlines.
1. Trump’s Citizenship Bombshell
On July 12, Trump attacked O’Donnell on Truth Social:
“Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!” PBS+9YouTube+9The Daily Beast+9Indiatimes+5Hindustan Times+5NBC Chicago+5People.com+11Page Six+11Politico+11
Trump’s message coincides with his ongoing efforts—like Executive Order 14160—to curtail birthright citizenship, especially in cases involving non-citizen parents Wikipedia+1The Independent+1. But this statement, aimed personally at O’Donnell, shocked many.
2. The Legal Reality
Trump’s claim clashes with a nearly 60-year-old Supreme Court precedent. In Afroyim v. Rusk (1967), the Court held:
“Congress has no power… to revoke a person’s U.S. citizenship unless he voluntarily relinquishes it.” Page Six+9Wikipedia+9Wikipedia+9
Later reaffirmed in Vance v. Terrazas (1980), the ruling confirms that the government cannot strip citizenship from a natural-born U.S. citizen, especially one born on American soil New York Post+5Wikipedia+5Wikipedia+5.
Legal scholar Amanda Frost, of UVA, emphasized:
“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native‑born U.S. citizen… we are a nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.” CBS News+1Sky News+1Sky News+1CBS News+1
In short: Trump’s threat has zero constitutional basis.
3. O’Donnell’s Scathing Retort
Rosie O’Donnell—who moved to Ireland earlier this year with her 12-year-old child—fired back via Instagram Stories and posts PBS+15Page Six+15The Independent+15.
Her response included:
-
A pointed meme likening Trump’s move to a cockroach trying to evict a lighthouse.
-
A collage featuring Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
-
A blunt caption:
“You are everything that is wrong with America and I’m everything you hate about what’s still right with it… I’m not yours to silence. I never was.” PBS+7Yahoo News+7YouTube+7Al Jazeera+6Page Six+6Sky News+6
She added jabs like “king joffrey with a tangerine spray tan” and emphasized her identity as “a loud woman, a queer woman, a mother who tells the truth” Fox News+3Page Six+3The Independent+3.
4. A Flashback to a Long-Running Feud
Their hostility is far from new—it began in 2006, when O’Donnell, then a host on The View, called Trump out as a “snake-oil salesman.” The feud flared again in 2015 during a GOP debate, when Trump labeled her “only Rosie O’Donnell.” Politico+6The Daily Beast+6The Independent+6
Since then, their exchanges have grown increasingly personal, with Trump using profanity-laden insults and O’Donnell responding in kind. Their battle has echoed public political polarization for decades.
5. The Importance of Irish Residency
O’Donnell’s move to Ireland in January 2025 stemmed partly from her belief that Trump’s second term posed a threat to safety and equality for her and her autistic child CBS News+2Page Six+2Sky News+2. Her departure wasn’t abandonment—it was a choice rooted in seeking stability and purpose amid turmoil.
She has since pursued Irish citizenship through family ties, stating she’ll return to the U.S. only when “it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights” Fox News+2Page Six+2Sky News+2.
6. Epstein’s Ghost in the Room
Trump’s attacks on O’Donnell rapidly tangled with unresolved questions around his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. O’Donnell’s social media posts emphasized their photographic association, stating:
“Hey Donald – you’re rattled again?… I still live rent‑free in that collapsing brain of yours.” The Daily Beast+3Page Six+3Fox News+3
Trump insists the photos are innocent and denies deeper ties. Still, FBI and DOJ concluded Epstein died by suicide and no undermining “client list” surfaced The Daily Beast.
This remains a sensitive flashpoint—O’Donnell used it masterfully in her defense.
7. Right, Left, and the Public Pulse
The incident has sparked polarized reactions across social and traditional media:
-
Legal experts universally acknowledged Trump lacks authority to revoke birthright citizenship The Daily BeastWikipedia+11NBC Chicago+11Indiatimes+11.
-
Many liberals and critics condemned Trump’s threat as authoritarian, with The Independent calling it “a new frontier” in his weaponization of citizenship The Daily Beast+3The Independent+3Politico+3.
-
Some MAGA-supportive voices cheered Trump’s assertiveness, especially those who view O’Donnell as emblematic of what they disdain in liberalism The Daily Beast.
8. The Broader Context: Citizenship as a Political Weapon
Trump’s threat comes amid his broader strategy:
-
Attempting to end birthright citizenship via executive order Instagram+4Politico+4Sky News+4Wikipedia+1The Independent+1.
-
Mentioning possible denaturalization of naturalized citizens, reportedly backed by a DOJ memo The Independent.
His push places citizenship—a foundational democratic right—into the political crossfire, raising serious constitutional concerns.
9. What’s at Stake: Rights, Power, and Precedent
For O’Donnell:
-
Legally: She remains impervious to revocation due to the Fourteenth Amendment.
-
Culturally: She transformed an attack into a badge of resistance, emphasizing activism and identity.
For Trump:
-
Politically: The move energizes supporters via strongman appeal.
-
Legally: Without statutory or constitutional backing, it’s purely symbolic—but fuel for future authoritarian narratives.
10. The Road Ahead
-
No legal basis exists for Trump to revoke her citizenship.
-
Public discourse may shift focus to Trump’s use of power and the threat to democratic safeguards.
-
O’Donnell’s voice remains loud, influential, and an avatar for outspoken female and queer identity in opposition to Trump-era politics.
Final Reflection: A Clash That Echoes Larger Trends
This clash—personal, political, legal—symbolizes larger themes in American life today:
-
Democratic erosion vs. authoritarian rhetoric
-
Citizen rights vs. executive overreach
-
Public culture wars played out in personal feuds
In O’Donnell’s refusal to be silenced and Trump’s escalation to citizenship threats, we see a tension playing across media, law, and the national psyche.
