Rosie O'Donnell 'Shocked' by Ellen DeGeneres' Trump-Era Escape to the UK

Rosie O'Donnell says she was genuinely "shocked" to discover that Ellen DeGeneres decided to pack her bags and leave the U.S. after Donald Trump’s election victory. While O'Donnell herself recently started a new chapter in Ireland, she admitted she hadn’t heard much from DeGeneres but was surprised at her reason for moving.

O'Donnell explained, "I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually." The comedian has always been open about her own political leanings, but she didn't expect that Ellen would make such a big move for political reasons.

Both O'Donnell and DeGeneres have found themselves across the Atlantic following Trump’s 2024 win—Ellen with a farmhouse in the UK and O'Donnell settling in Ireland, awaiting citizenship. O'Donnell, true to her word, left the U.S. after Trump's return to the White House, a decision she says was no secret. "I was very clear about the reason why I was leaving, and I don’t think it came as a surprise to anyone," she noted.

Though the two aren’t close these days, O'Donnell emphasized there’s no bad blood. "I don’t want to fight against another gay woman. It’s not like we’re tenaciously opposed to each other," she said, clarifying that their differences are more about personality and past unresolved issues as comedians, not as partners.

O'Donnell also highlighted the need for unity among LGBTQ comedians, especially with increasing threats to the community. "There’s enough room in the world for all of the gay comedians, and we all need to stick together because gay people are the next group to be threatened. And the way they attack trans people is absolutely terrifying." She stressed the importance of solidarity, saying, "We protect our own, especially the most vulnerable."

DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi recently sold their Montecito estate and purchased a countryside home in the UK, reportedly after Trump's win. O'Donnell, meanwhile, moved to Ireland just before the inauguration, choosing a village in Dublin that she describes with genuine affection. "People are unbearably kind in a way that shocks me every single day," she said, adding that her son Clay has thrived in his new school.

O'Donnell also reflected on her longstanding feud with Trump, stating that the president "sort of uses me as a punchline whenever he feels the need." Despite the turbulence, she seems to have found a sense of peace—and maybe even a little surprise at the company she’s keeping overseas.