American actress, host, and comedian Rosie O’Donnell has responded to a false viral claim alleging that Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked her U.S. passport and stripped her of her American citizenship. The speculation, which began on social media, claimed that Rosie had been told to stay in Ireland permanently. It originated from the satirical account America’s Last Line of Defense, which clearly labeled its content as parody.
The speculation resurfaced after O’Donnell revealed in a January 2025 TikTok video that she had moved to Ireland with her family right after Trump returned to office for a second term and that she intended to apply for dual citizenship due to her Irish heritage. For context, her father immigrated from County Donegal, Ireland, and her mother was an Irish American.
The fact he feels he can say this publicly is insane. Rosie O’Donnell was born in New York. Further proof that Trump’s immigration plans—illegal behavior, violating norms, and creating a private army with ICE- threaten all of us, citizen and non-citizen alike. pic.twitter.com/DZEU9DCxeQ
— John Jackson (@hissgoescobra) July 12, 2025
Rosie, who identifies as a lesbian, said that she wasn’t pleased with the decision. She added, “It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically, and hard for me personally as well.
The personal is political, as we all know.” Right before she moved to Ireland, on the day of his inaugural ceremony on January 20, 2025, Trump announced that the official policy of the United States government would recognize only two genders: male and female. This move also naturally halted the issuance of U.S. passports with a gender-neutral “X” marker.
As per The Irish Star, the false post gained more attention when President Donald Trump commented on it via Truth Social in July, writing, “I am giving serious consideration to taking away [Rosie O’Donnell’s] Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her.”
“I am a very proud citizen of the United States.”
Comedian Rosie O’Donnell dismissed President Trump’s threat to revoke her U.S. citizenship in an online message to her fans: “He can’t do that because it’s against the Constitution.” pic.twitter.com/bjC4PQTnoH
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 4, 2025
O’Donnell accused Trump of being a “criminal con man” in a harsh, cryptic post.“This is why I moved to Ireland. He is a dangerous old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy, compassion, and basic humanity,” she wrote. She also added, “I’m not yours to silence. I never was.”
Donald Trump replied, saying that Rosie O’Donnell “is not a great American,” and “incapable of being so.” Meanwhile, Rosie O’Donnell is a hardcore registered Democrat. O’Donnell has financially supported several political campaigns, including contributing to Senator Doug Jones’s successful run in Alabama.
Known for her strong media presence and for being a jack of all trades, Rosie O’Donnell has publicly addressed numerous controversial topics. In 2007, she gained attention for publicly stating her doubts about the official findings of the 9/11 attacks, questioning the conclusions made by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and implying possible U.S. government involvement.
She is best known as the host of her Emmy Award–winning talk show The Rosie O’Donnell Show, which ended in 2012. While some widely believed the meme, others came to O’Donnell’s defense, praising her courage and resilience.
“Thank you, Rosie, for your strength, conviction and courage. It is no small thing to be targeted in this way. You deserve peace. Sending love.” Another person added, “Rosie, I adore you if I could afford to leave the US and go where you are I would.”
