‘Don’t regret leaving at all’: Rosie O’Donnell says US felt ‘really wrong’ before move to Ireland

Rosie O’Donnell said Ireland offers calm and balance, unlike the chaos she associates with Trump’s America
UPDATED FEB 14, 2026
Rosie O’Donnell reflected on leaving the US and settling in Ireland for a calmer life (Getty Images)
Rosie O’Donnell reflected on leaving the US and settling in Ireland for a calmer life (Getty Images)

DUBLIN, IRELAND: Comedian Rosie O'Donnell recently reflected on her decision to leave the United States after relocating to Ireland amid her deep opposition to President Donald Trump’s leadership.

In a recent interview on Chris Cuomo’s 'SiriusXM program,' she reaffirmed her decision to emigrate, arguing it was necessary for her well-being and that of her child. While acknowledging that she recently made a brief visit back to the US, O’Donnell insisted she remains convinced that leaving was the right choice.

Rosie O'Donnell attends Cool Comedy Hot Cuisine Benefitting The Scleroderma Research Foundation at Fairmont Century Plaza on October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Rosie O’Donnell attended Cool Comedy Hot Cuisine Benefitting The Scleroderma Research Foundation in 2024 (Alberto E Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Rosie O’Donnell on leaving the US and her perspective in Ireland

O’Donnell, who left America due to her intense opposition to Trump, said she does not regret quitting the US and moving to Ireland. She stated that her relocation was necessary to “save” herself, her child, and her sanity.

O’Donnell first revealed last year that she “self-deported” to Ireland in January after deciding it was the best option for her and her 12-year-old child. She explained that life in Ireland felt markedly different from life in the US, noting the absence of what she described as “celebrity worship.”

She said Ireland offers more balance in news and in life, describing a culture that is not focused on the constant pursuit of “more and more."

FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 13: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a visit to the Fort Bragg U.S. Army base on February 13, 2026 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Trump visited the base to honor special forces involved in the military operation in Venezuela in early 2026. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)
Donald Trump spoke during a visit to Fort Bragg US Army Base in 2026 (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

The former 'The View' host further described her recent experience returning to the US for a visit. She said that she did not announce her return and simply went to see her family.

O’Donnell spent time in New York, saying the country “feels like a very different place” than it did before she left. She also said she wanted to see how hard it would be to re-enter and exit the US during her visit. 

“I don’t regret leaving at all,” O’Donnell told Cuomo. “I think I did what I needed to do to save myself, my child and my sanity." 

She further said she is “very happy that I’m not in the midst of it there,” referring to her perspective on life in the US. O’Donnell described the energy she experienced in the country as “scary” and expressed that “something is really wrong and no one is doing anything about it.” 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 16: (L-R) Aimee Hauer and Rosie O'Donnell attend FRIENDLY HOUSE LA Co
Aimee Hauer and Rosie O’Donnell attended 'FRIENDLY HOUSE LA' Comedy Benefit at The Fonda Theatre in 2022 (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Rosie O’Donnell’s criticism and obsession with Trump

Throughout her statements, O’Donnell’s criticism of the country and its political climate remained clear. Previously, O’Donnell has repeatedly called for Trump’s removal from office, urging the invocation of the 25th Amendment.

Questioning his fitness for office, she said, “He’s making crazy posts. Like someone with temporal frontal lobe dementia. When are they going to do the 25th Amendment?

She further said, “When are they going to say that this is no longer manageable for anyone? He needs to be stopped. I wish I could say that I don’t think about him a lot, but I do."



O’Donnell then further alleged that Trump could initiate a war and use it as justification to suspend or cancel the 2026 midterm elections. A recent profile in The Washington Post also reported that O’Donnell has grown intensely fixated on the president.

At times, she assures her therapist she will refrain from posting about him on social media for several days, a commitment she has reportedly struggled to keep.

O’Donnell’s fixation on Trump reportedly extended to conversations with her 12-year-old autistic daughter, whom she told that the president was responsible for their departure from the US.

“My daughter is now saying, ‘Damn him, damn Trump’ and smashing her hand on the table,” O’Donnell told former CNN host Jim Acosta during a Friday appearance on the 'The Jim Acosta Show.'

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