Rosie O’Donnell Reveals She Has Quit the U.S. and Moved to Ireland in the Wake of Donald Trump’s Election Win

Rosie O’Donnell has revealed that she has moved away from the U.S. and relocated to Ireland in the wake of President Donald Trump‘s election win—stating that she will not return to her home country until it is once again “safe for all citizens.”

In a video shared on her TikTok account, the 62-year-old, who previously hosted “The View,” confessed that she quit the U.S. on Jan. 15, adding that she is currently in the process of applying for Irish citizenship.

O’Donnell, who has long been an outspoken critic of Trump, made the move with her 12-year-old adopted daughter, Dakota “Clay” O’Donnell, explaining that she waited until they were “settled” in their new home before “telling everybody what’s been going on.”

“I’m here in Ireland, and it’s beautiful and warm—not physically, it’s actually quite cold,” she said. “I moved here on Jan. 15 [and] it’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful.”

The comedian went on to explain that she can apply for citizenship in her new chosen homeland because she has Irish grandparents. However, she conceded that she never thought she would end up leaving the U.S., where she had most recently been living in Los Angeles.

“I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, [but] that’s what I decided would be best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are,” she went on.

Although O’Donnell said she has relished in taking in all of the wonderful aspects of Ireland, she confessed that she has often found herself missing parts of the U.S., specifically her four other adopted children: Parker, 29, Chelsea, 27, Blake, 25, and Vivienne, 22.

“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy. [But] I miss my other kids. I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home, and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country,” she explained.

O’Donnell also said that she would consider returning to the States after Trump leaves office and the country is “safe” again. She did not mention the president by name, instead referring only to what is “happening politically” in the country.

“And when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” she said. “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,” she said.

At the end of the nine-minute video, O’Donnell apologized to her fans who were concerned about her and encouraged people to use their voice to “stand up.”

“Sorry for those of you who were worried and who missed me. I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through,” she continued.

She encourages everyone to “stand up, to use their voice, to protest, to demand that we follow the Constitution in our country and not a king, not a man, and we don’t have cruelty as part of our governing style.

“And now, as we’re getting settled, I was ready to post this and to tell everybody what’s been going on.”

O’Donnell previously sparked speculation about her move when she shared an image of herself and her daughter in a car on her Instagram account, which has since been made private, noting in the caption that she had recently purchased the vehicle and was getting used to driving “on the wrong side of the road.”

“Bought a little used car to tool around the countryside on the wrong side of the road. Hit the curb three times—thought I hit a cat!” she joked.

The former TV show host has been embroiled in a bitter feud with Trump since 2006 when the two began a furious debate about his decision to show leniency toward Miss USA Tara Conner, who was accused of drug use.

O’Donnell hammered Trump as a hypocrite after he initially criticized Conner, before later U-turning, prompting the then-businessman to fire back, branding “The View” host “fat” and “a slob” in a furious tirade.

The pair’s bitter spat continued for years, with O’Donnell telling People magazine in 2014 that their battle involved the “most bullying I ever experienced in my life.”

The following year, Trump brought O’Donnell’s name into a Republican primary debate when he was asked about having branded women “fat pigs” and “slobs,” to which he responded, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.”

In 2017, the talk show host criticized Trump’s first presidential term, telling Seth Meyers that “90%” of her day is spent “tweeting hatred toward this administration.”

And just last year, Trump brought O’Donnell up again during the election when he told the crowd that “The View” had become “so bad” that producers “really need to bring Rosie O’Donnell back.”

O’Donnell continued to criticize Trump during the election on TikTok.

“You can’t forget what he’s capable of. … This is not a sane person. This is a madman. You’ve got to get ready for what’s coming. When democracy falls, fascism takes its place,” she warned viewers. 

However, the comedian’s move to Ireland may also have been motivated by another factor: the loss of her Malibu home in the California wildfires, which began tearing through Los Angeles County just one week before O’Donnell moved to Europe.

The home is one of many that she has owned over the years—although she has attempted to offload several homes of late, including a New York City penthouse, which she bought in 2017 for $8 million.

She listed that property for $8.3 million in 2023. Records indicate that no sale was ever completed, and the apartment is still registered in O’Donnell’s name.

Her decision to list the dwelling came as a result of her relocation to the West Coast, her listing agent at the time revealed—coming two years after she purchased a modern Los Angeles farmhouse for $4.6 million.

Located steps from Circle Park, the residence is set on a large, flat parcel and spans 7,415 square feet.

Inside, the immaculate space offers high-end finishes and detailing. An open floor plan features five bedrooms, 10-foot ceilings, and walls of glass that open to an outdoor living space.

On the main level, there’s a formal dining room with a glassed-in wine room, a living room with a fireplace, and a family room. The kosher chef’s kitchen features Thermador appliances, two sinks, a Caesarstone waterfall island, and a butler’s pantry.

Upstairs, the primary suite boasts vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, and dual closets. Other luxe details include paneled walls and ceilings, custom wood cabinetry, and Restoration Hardware fixtures and accents. Additional spaces include an office and a laundry room.

She sold that property just four months after buying it, for $4.9 million in April 2022.

Before relocating to L.A., O’Donnell had lived primarily on the East Coast, where she owned multiple homes in addition to her New York penthouse.

The media personality previously offloaded her South Nyack, NY, residence for $5.1 million in 2017, just under her $5.3 million asking price. That home was part of a grouping of waterfront properties, which she sold off separately.

In 2021, she also finally found a buyer for her mansion in Saddle River, NJ, which was sold at a loss of $5.3 million. 

The New York native also shed a West Palm Beach, FL, property for $5 million in 2018, having initially listed it for $5.5 million.

But perhaps the brightest jewel in her property portfolio over the years has been her estate on Miami’s exclusive Star Island, which she bought for $6.75 million in 1999, seven years after she shot to fame while starring as Doris Murphy in the hit 1992 movie “A League of Their Own.”

However, the actress, who also appeared in movies like “The Flintstones” and “Harriet the Spy,” put the home back on the market just four years later, selling it to real estate investor Dr. David Frankel and his wife, Linda Frankel, in 2003 for $16.5 million, earning a profit of around $10 million.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Frankels “substantially renovated” the home during the many years they spent living there.

David died in March of this year, while his wife died in 2023, and the home was then put on the market by their son, Greg Frankel, who has been living in the property for the past 18 months with his family while their own home in Miami’s Coconut Grove undergoes renovations.

He listed the property for a staggering $54 million in November 2024. That price was lowered to $48 million on March 5.

O’Donnell has been a host on both “The View” and her own talk show, “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.” More recently, she’s been involved in acting projects. She starred in the Showtime series “SMILF” and the HBO series “I Know This Much Is True.”