Actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell said this week that she relocated to Ireland due to the impact President Donald Trump’s first term had on her mental health.
Speaking with Chris Cuomo on his podcast, O’Donnell described the move as an act of “self-preservation,” citing depression, alcohol use, and public encounters that left her feeling unsafe in the United States.
Rosie O’Donnell has blamed Trump for making her “depressed” causing her to become addicted to “overeating” and “over drinking” during his first term.
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O’Donnell has been an outspoken critic of President Trump for years, frequently clashing with him publicly.
During the interview, she said the national political climate and public reaction to Trump’s presidency left her disillusioned and emotionally distressed.
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“I was very, very depressed. I was overeating. I was overdrinking,” O’Donnell told Cuomo.
“It hurt my heart that America believed the lies about him. And then it broke my heart to be in a business that creates and sells those lies for profit.”
Rosie O’Donnell, who self-deported to Ireland after Trump won, says she was very depressed and was overeating and over drinking after Trump was first elected
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O’Donnell said her decision to leave the U.S. was motivated by a desire to protect her mental well-being.
She described the move to Ireland as a personal reset, offering an environment where she felt distanced from what she described as the pressures of American celebrity culture and political hostility.
“When I got here, I noticed right away there was a different culture about celebrity. They’re not lauded in Ireland. They’re not thought of as better than anyone else,” O’Donnell said.
“Coming home here felt like coming home.”
She also described a series of negative interactions in public following Trump’s election in 2016, saying those moments contributed to her desire to leave the country.
O’Donnell recounted an incident involving her child, who is autistic.
“People in CVS saying to me and my autistic 12-year-old, ‘Hey, Rosie, Trump won. Ha ha.’
One cursed at us,” she said.
“I find myself feeling safe,” she added.
“There’s no MAGA support here.”
O’Donnell did not specify when exactly she moved to Ireland, but described the transition as one that provided emotional relief.
She did not indicate whether the move is permanent, though she characterized it as a necessary change for her and her family.
The comments come as O’Donnell continues to remain active in media and entertainment.
She did not directly reference any upcoming projects during the podcast episode, instead focusing on the emotional toll she said the political climate had taken on her during and after President Trump’s time in office.
President Trump has not publicly responded to O’Donnell’s latest remarks.
The two have had a history of public feuds dating back to his business and television career, prior to his election as President.
The interview with Cuomo marks O’Donnell’s first detailed public explanation of her move to Ireland and the personal reasons behind it.
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