Rosie O'Donnell says her long-running feud with President Trump has unexpectedly boosted her public profile, making her “refamous” in her own words. The former The View co-host made the remarks during an appearance on Amy Poehler’s podcast, Good Hang, released Tuesday.
“I told my kids, ‘Well, kids, hold on, because mommy’s refamous,’” O’Donnell, 64, said. “I don’t know how it happened. I think it’s Mango Mussolini,” she added, using a derogatory nickname for the president. “I think it’s him who did it.”
The comedian, who has traded barbs with Trump since 2006, suggested the president’s fixation has inadvertently helped her career. “He didn’t know. If he knew how much he was helping my career and my life, he would shut up about me because he’s a horrible creature,” O’Donnell said, drawing laughter from Poehler.
The feud dates back to 2006, when Trump called O’Donnell a “threat to humanity,” while she has labeled him a “criminal” and a “con man.” Last year, the war of words reignited after O’Donnell revealed she had moved to Ireland, citing the “heartbreaking” political climate in the U.S. Trump responded on social media, threatening to revoke her citizenship, writing, “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.”
During the podcast, O’Donnell also expressed astonishment at Trump’s public behavior, particularly moments when he appears to doze off. “I’m stunned by it,” she said. “Like I go, is everyone looking at the same speech he just gave? Did we hear what he just said? He is asleep again, ladies and gentlemen! Like what is it going to take?”
Poehler sympathized, calling the “gaslighting” that follows such episodes “stressful.” O’Donnell then referenced Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s denial that Trump ever falls asleep during Cabinet meetings, a claim Rubio made in June when pressed by Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) during a House Foreign Relations Committee hearing. “Oh dear God in heaven, it’s beyond willful blindness,” O’Donnell said. “It’s really like cult programming.”
The interview comes as Trump’s approval ratings continue to slide, with a recent Economist/YouGov poll showing his support at 33 percent. The ongoing feud between O’Donnell and Trump has remained a recurring sideshow in American politics, often resurfacing during election cycles or when Trump faces legal scrutiny.
O’Donnell’s comments also highlight the broader political divide, as she joins other critics in questioning the administration’s competence and credibility. Her move to Ireland last year underscored the frustration many Democrats feel with the current political landscape. Trump’s threat to strip her citizenship, though legally dubious, was seen as part of his pattern of targeting critics, a tactic that has drawn bipartisan criticism.
As the 2024 election approaches, Trump’s attacks on O’Donnell may continue to generate headlines, but for the comedian, they have inadvertently provided a platform. “If he knew how much he was helping my career,” she quipped, “he would shut up about me.”
