Rosie O’Donnell has claimed her autistic child is furious at President Donald Trump for “forcing” them to move out of the U.S. following his landslide victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.
The actress and comedian, a longtime vocal Trump critic, told the Jim Acosta Show on Friday that her child expressed anger at Trump, slamming their hand on the table and saying, “Damn him. Damn Trump. He made us move in order for our own safety. And now he’s destroying the country.”
O’Donnell, 63, has been living in Ireland in what she describes as “self-imposed exile” with her youngest child, Clay, who is “non-binary” and autistic.
She emphasized that she did not want her child to inherit her personal animosity toward Trump, stating, “Somebody can tap me out, you know? I did 22 years. I don’t really need to do [it] anymore, and I don’t want my kid to be so affected by it.”
The comedian left the U.S. in January 2025, days before Trump’s inauguration, seeking a fresh start in Europe.
O’Donnell explained that moving was a decision she made with her child’s welfare in mind.
“It’s been pretty wonderful. People are so loving and so kind, so welcoming — and I’m very grateful,” she said. She added that relocating was a choice she never expected to make but believed was necessary for herself and her 12-year-old child.
O’Donnell has four adult children in the U.S. — sons Parker, 29, and Blake, 25, and daughters Chelsea, 27, and Vivienne, 22.
Despite her family living stateside, she has sought Irish citizenship through descent. She previously described her life in Ireland as “wonderful,” though she admitted to missing aspects of the U.S., per the Daily Mail.
Social media quickly reacted to O’Donnell’s claims. Critics argued that Trump did not compel the move.
One X user said, “Rosie can’t even take responsibility for her own decision to move to Ireland. Her therapist deserves hazard pay.”
Another wrote, “She needs to take responsibility for her parental decisions. She has free will and she used it to uproot her family in a fit of pique.”
A third added, “Trump didn’t make them move anywhere. Rosie O’Donnell needs to get checked out for the blatant case of TDS she has.”
Trump himself has previously criticized O’Donnell publicly. In September, he threatened to revoke her U.S. citizenship, calling her “not a Great American” and “in my opinion, incapable of being so.”
He also stated on Truth Social that O’Donnell “is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
O’Donnell has no plans to return to the U.S. anytime soon. She told the Daily Mail that moving was the best option for her family, citing both her child’s safety and the ongoing political climate.
The White House responded to O’Donnell’s statements with a statement calling her “severely affected by Trump Derangement Syndrome” and suggesting her decision to leave the country benefits everyone.
