Comedian Rosie O’Donnell is set to join the lineup of guest hosts, replacing late-night host Jimmy Kimmel during his annual summer hiatus.
Kimmel made the announcement during Thursday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” while discussing his plans to step away from the show for the next two months.
“I will be taking the next two months off, this time voluntarily,” Kimmel told the audience before unveiling the list of celebrity guest hosts who will fill in during his absence.
Among those scheduled to host are Tiffany Haddish, Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson and Jelly Roll.
Kimmel saved one name for last, drawing a strong reaction from the audience.
“And I asked one of his all-time favorites — Rosie O’Donnell — to be here to keep the hits coming,” Kimmel said while referencing President Donald Trump.
The announcement generated loud applause from the studio audience.
“You’re welcome,” Kimmel added.
The move marks O’Donnell’s return to a major television hosting role and is likely to attract attention due to her decades-long public feud with Trump.
The dispute between the two public figures dates back nearly 20 years.
During a 2006 appearance on “The View,” O’Donnell criticized Trump’s personal life and business dealings, sparking a war of words that continued for years.
The feud later became a notable part of Trump’s first presidential campaign.
During a Republican primary debate, Trump was asked about accusations that he had used derogatory language toward women.
“Only Rosie O’Donnell,” Trump famously responded, drawing laughter from the audience and further cementing their public rivalry.
Since then, the two have repeatedly exchanged criticism through interviews, social media posts and television appearances.
Kimmel, who has become one of Trump’s most vocal critics in late-night television, framed O’Donnell’s guest-hosting role as a tongue-in-cheek gesture aimed at the president.
The host also jokingly urged Trump not to create any major controversies while he was away.
“All I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” Kimmel said.
The summer break will be Kimmel’s sixth consecutive extended hiatus from the program, per the Daily Mail.
He first adopted the practice during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued taking approximately two months off each summer.
ABC has only announced the hosting schedule for Tiffany Haddish so far, with her appearances set for the week of July 6.
Dates for O’Donnell’s episodes have not yet been revealed.
Kimmel is expected to return to the program shortly after Labor Day.
O’Donnell has remained outspoken in her criticism of Trump in recent years.
She relocated to Ireland in 2025 following the start of Trump’s second presidential term.
Earlier this month, she attended the Tony Awards in New York City and once again criticized the president during a red-carpet interview.
“If you grew up in New York, you knew he was an asshole and a liar from day one,” O’Donnell told Variety.
She went on to accuse Trump of being a “conman,” a “narcissist,” and a “psychopath.”
With O’Donnell now joining Kimmel’s summer guest-host rotation, their long-running feud appears poised to once again take center stage on late-night television during the coming weeks.
