Rosie O'Donnell Claims She's 'Softer' After Escaping Trump’s Shadow

Rosie O'Donnell, after two decades of being a verbal punching bag for Donald Trump, claims her relocation to Ireland has made her “softer.”

O'Donnell, who has publicly clashed with Trump for nearly twenty years, states that stepping away from the political chaos surrounding him has brought her newfound calmness and emotional depth. “It’s glorious. I love it because you don’t care so much what everyone thinks,” she said in a recent interview.

At 64, O'Donnell reflects on her past, admitting that the constant scrutiny and criticism from Trump took a toll on her mental health, leading to PTSD. She described the surreal nature of their feud, where the president's comments about her were once shocking. “It used to be when our president would say things about me, it would be like, whoa,” she noted.

O'Donnell's long-standing feud with Trump has been a significant part of her life narrative. She remarked on the absurdity of a stand-up comic ridiculing a reality show host who eventually becomes president and fixates on her for two decades. “If you had written this as a movie... it would be unbelievable,” she said.

In January 2025, O'Donnell moved to Ireland with her youngest child, Clay. She is currently in New York for her one-woman show, Common Knowledge, which opened on July 22 at the Daryl Roth Theatre.

The show delves into her childhood in Commack, New York, the death of her mother when she was ten, and her journey raising five children. Losing her mother is described by O'Donnell as “the defining moment of my life.”

Clay recently observed a change in O'Donnell since their move abroad. After witnessing a mother comfort a crying child, O'Donnell became emotional. Clay remarked, “You’re softer now,” highlighting the shift in her demeanor.

O'Donnell explained that her tears stemmed from her perception that the child might have autism. Clay's comforting gesture prompted O'Donnell to joke that her child was “killing me” with kindness.

She credits Ireland’s warm reception and the absence of Trump-related news for helping her reconnect with herself. O'Donnell acknowledges feeling “softer” since leaving the U.S., free from the barrage of news about Trump.

“It’s like a post-traumatic stress disorder for me,” she stated, reflecting on two decades of being used as a punchline by Trump. This distance has allowed her to reclaim her identity from before their feud began, despite the strangeness of having the most powerful man in the world as her arch nemesis.