Everything we know about Rosie O'Donnell and Trump's ongoing feud amid threat to revoke her citizenship
Here's everything we know about Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump's ongoing feud amid a threat from the president to revoke her citizenship.
Trump is certainly not afraid of making enemies, with O'Donnell one of those not exactly on his close friends list.
While their spat has been going on for a long while now, it seemingly resurfaced when the president returned to office in January and doesn't appear to be coming to a conclusion anytime soon.
The comedian and talk show host was born in New York but has a rich Irish heritage.
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Her father emigrated to the US from County Donegal as a child, while her mom was Irish American.
O'Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old child after Trump secured his second term in office but has often publicly criticized the POTUS and his administration.
But while she may not reside in the US currently, O'Donnell does still have an American citizenship.
Where it all began
Trump and O'Donnell's feud started all the way back in 2006 when she was a co-host of The View.
"He annoys me on a multitude of levels. [He] left the first wife, had an affair, left the second wife, had an affair, had kids both times, but he's the moral compass for 20-year-olds in America," the comedian said of Trump during an episode of the show at the time.
"Donald, sit and spin, my friend. I don't enjoy him."
Trump responded by dubbing O'Donnell 'a woman out of control' after she called out the then-businessman for the controversy surrounding Miss USA winner Tara Conner.
Trump's threat
In a seemingly random attack on his long-time critic, Trump recently took to Truth Social to issue a threat to O'Donnell.
He wrote: “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. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Can Trump actually remove O'Donnell's citizenship?
Experts have argued that, regardless of Trump’s feelings towards O'Donnell, he cannot actually take away her citizenship.
Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, has spoken out and outlined the clear issue with Trump’s threat.
As per WPLG, Frost said ultimately the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.
“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born US citizen,” she added.
“In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”
O'Donnell's response
O’Donnell hit back at Trump in a brutal way and played into one of the most pressing issues he is facing right now.
The comedian responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.
Writing in a caption, she said: "You are everything that is wrong with America and I'm everything you hate about what's still right with it.
"I'm not yours to silence. I never was."
Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and insisted he was not a fan of the disgraced pedophile before his death in 2019.
Topics: Donald Trump, Celebrity
Callum Jones