Rosie O'Donnell Blames Trump For Her TV Return And Accuses Him Of Fascism

Former "The View" host Rosie O'Donnell told President Donald Trump she owes her fame Tuesday on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in Los Angeles. She called their decades-long feud the reason she returned to network TV during the second night of her four-night guest-hosting run. She also accused him of reviving fascism and measles.

O'Donnell spoke about this while addressing Trump during her opening monologue. She sarcastically credited the president with bringing her back into the spotlight. "I'm back in the spotlight all thanks to President Oompa J. Loompa, who is watching us this evening from inside a catering cart," she said. "You know, I couldn't have done it without you, sweetie. You brought me back just like you did with fascism and the measles."

The White House responded by pointing to a meme Trump shared on Truth Social. That image showed O'Donnell lying in bed, reading, washing dishes, and driving while Trump appeared in a thought bubble above her in each scene. The caption read "She (?) is OBSESSED!" O'Donnell's reference to the catering cart alluded to reports that Trump used an airport truck and Air Force One as a decoy before secretly transferring to another aircraft during a NATO summit in Turkey due to a credible Iranian threat.

O'Donnell repeated claims she made recently on Amy Poehler's "Good Hang" podcast where she said Trump's criticism raised her profile. "I feel like recently, I'm re-famous. That's what I feel. I told my kids, 'Well, kids, hold on, 'cause mommy's re-famous,'" O'Donnell said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,566 confirmed U.S. measles cases through Aug. 13. This number surpasses the 2,289 cases recorded during all of 2025 and the 285 cases seen in 2024. Outbreaks spread when imported cases reach communities with low immunization levels while national MMR vaccination coverage among kindergartners has fallen below the 95% target.

During her Monday guest-hosting debut, O'Donnell warned viewers she intended to continue Kimmel's criticism of the president. "The President hated 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Buckle up, people," she said. Her appearances returned her to U.S. network television after moving to Ireland with her youngest child in January 2025, five days before Trump's second inauguration. She later sought Irish citizenship while retaining her U.S. citizenship and quietly returned to America for a family visit in early 2026.

Trump escalated their feud in July 2025 when he floated revoking O'Donnell's U.S. citizenship. "She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her," Trump said. The Constitution does not permit a president to strip the citizenship of an American born in the United States. O'Donnell was born in Commack, New York. Their public feud began in 2006 after O'Donnell criticized Trump's handling of a Miss USA controversy while co-hosting "The View."

During a 2015 Republican presidential debate, Trump was asked about derogatory terms he had used to describe women. "Only Rosie O'Donnell," Trump said. Fox News Digital reached out to the RNC for comment but did not immediately receive a response.