A Legally Baseless Provocation

Donald Trump has once again sparked outrage by claiming he is considering revoking Rosie O’Donnell’s U.S. citizenship—despite having absolutely no legal authority to do so. On his platform, Truth Social, the former president posted: “Since Rosie O’Donnell does not serve the best interests of our great country, I am seriously thinking about revoking her citizenship. She’s a threat to humanity and should stay in the beautiful country of Ireland—if they’ll have her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

The message was a direct jab at O’Donnell, an outspoken comedian and activist, with whom Trump has had a longstanding feud. O’Donnell, born in Commack, Long Island, is a natural-born U.S. citizen. According to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, no president has the unilateral authority to strip an individual of their citizenship without following strict legal procedures.

Rosie O’Donnell’s Sharp Rebuke

O’Donnell, who recently relocated to Ireland with her family, had already expressed her desire to stay abroad until conditions in the United States felt safer. In response to Trump’s remarks, she released a pointed video on TikTok, saying:

“Ladies and gentlemen, the president is a disgrace to everything our beautiful country stands for — he’s a danger to the nation — a criminal, untreated and mentally unstable… It’s now or never, America 🇺🇸 — seems like my little TikToks from Dublin have gotten under his skin. So go lock up a few people of color, you evil little man-child.”

She also shared a photo on Instagram showing Trump alongside Jeffrey Epstein, with a defiant caption:

“Hey Donald — still rattled? Eighteen years later and I still live rent-free in that broken brain of yours. You say I’m a threat to humanity — but I represent your worst fear: a loud woman, a queer woman, a truth-telling mother who left the country before you could burn it to the ground.”

The 14th Amendment: A Legal Safeguard

The constitutional framework leaves no room for ambiguity. The 14th Amendment clearly states:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”
This means that no U.S. president has the authority to revoke a person’s citizenship outside of the very strict legal standards established by Congress and the courts.

Trump has previously made attempts to challenge this fundamental right, particularly targeting children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants. His executive orders on the matter were consistently blocked by the courts. However, concerns have resurfaced following a recent Supreme Court decision that restricts the nationwide scope of federal court injunctions. A new injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Joseph LaPlante has temporarily halted enforcement of the executive order as part of a class-action lawsuit aiming to protect the rights of these children.

Two Decades of Public Feuding

The animosity between Trump and O’Donnell dates back more than 20 years. During the 2016 presidential debate, when moderator Megyn Kelly criticized Trump for making derogatory comments about women, he retorted with, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.”

Since 2006, Trump has repeatedly insulted O’Donnell, calling her “stupid,” “disgusting,” “fat,” and “ugly.” He also mocked the way she speaks and claimed she had disrespected him during her time on The View.

An Ongoing Battle of Words

Even after moving to Ireland, Rosie O’Donnell has continued to criticize Trump from abroad. Recently, she blamed him for contributing to the tragedy of fatal flooding in Texas, citing drastic budget cuts to weather services during his administration — a claim supported by several media outlets, including Deadline.

Despite Trump’s inflammatory statements, the U.S. Constitution remains crystal clear: Rosie O’Donnell’s American citizenship is legally protected. No amount of rhetoric can override that unshakable juridical fact.

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