Rosie O’Donnell says she was 'surprised' to learn Trump's win drove Ellen DeGeneres to leave US for UK

DUBLIN, IRELAND: Rosie O'Donnell is sharing her thoughts about Ellen DeGeneres’ decision to relocate to the United Kingdom after Donald Trump’s 2024 election win.

In a recent interview with Us Weekly, the former 'The View' host admitted she was surprised by the motivation behind DeGeneres' move, noting that the former talk show host has rarely expressed political opinions in public.

Rosie O'Donnell was 'shocked' to learn Ellen DeGeneres relocated to the UK because of Trump

“I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually,” Rosie O’Donnell shared.

“I’ve been a political person my whole life, not better or worse, it’s just a different way to be in the world. I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone," she added. 

"We’re not really in each other’s worlds, and it’s been kind of awkward, but you know what? I wish her the best. I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK,” O'Donnell further said.

Both have moved abroad since Trump’s return to the White House — DeGeneres to the UK and O'Donnell to Ireland.

Despite past tension, O'Donnell made it clear she holds no grudge against DeGeneres. “We’re just very different people,” she said, clarifying that their unresolved issues were professional, not personal.

“I don’t want to fight against another gay woman. It’s not like we’re tenaciously opposed to each other. We have had some stuff in the past that we never resolved. And not in any way as, as partners or lovers or anything like that, just as friends and comedians, but I wish her the best. I seriously do," the 63-year-old stressed. 

DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, sold their Montecito estate in August 2024 and bought a farmhouse in the UK, opting for a more private life following Trump’s reelection.

Rosie O'Donnell relocated to Ireland just days before Donald Trump's inauguration

Rosie O'Donnell confirmed in a recent interview with The New York Times and a guest spot on Ireland’s 'The Late Late Show' that she has applied for Irish citizenship after moving to Dublin following Donald Trump’s election win. 

“I never thought he would win again,” O'Donnell admitted. “But I said, ‘If he does, I’m going to move,’ and my therapist said, ‘Well, let’s make a real plan.’” That plan took shape earlier this year, when she relocated just days before the president's second inauguration, bringing her 12-year-old child, Clay, with her.

Speaking candidly about her decades-long feud with Trump, O'Donnell said, “The President of the United States has it out for me and has for 20 years … he sort of uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need.”

Despite the tension, O'Donnell says life in Ireland has been a healing experience for her and her child. “There’s a great, great school there. And Clay has done very well. And they were really welcoming,” she told Us Weekly.

She also praised the charm of her new home, sharing, “I love the little village. It’s in the heart of Dublin, but it feels like a small town. People are unbearably kind in a way that shocks me every single day.”