By Gloria Nosa
President Donald Trump has once again taken aim at longtime critic Rosie O’Donnell, escalating their infamous feud by publicly suggesting that she no longer deserves to hold American citizenship. The explosive remarks were delivered during a campaign-style rally in Florida, where Trump addressed a crowd of supporters while calling out celebrities and political opponents he says “hate the country but enjoy its privileges.”
During the speech, President Trump said:
“Rosie O’Donnell – she’s always hated this country. She spends her time attacking everything we stand for. Maybe it’s time we look into whether she even deserves to be a citizen of the United States.”
The statement was met with a mix of cheers and stunned reactions, immediately igniting a firestorm of debate across the media and political circles. Critics have accused Trump of authoritarian rhetoric, while his supporters view the remark as a bold stance against what they describe as “entitled elites who don’t respect the flag.”
Rosie O’Donnell wasted no time firing back on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“Donald Trump remains a national embarrassment and a constitutional illiterate. I was born in America, I’ve lived by its laws, and I’ll keep calling out his dangerous nonsense.”
This latest exchange adds fuel to a rivalry that has spanned nearly two decades. Their public feud began in the early 2000s and has included barbed insults, interviews, and heated online sparring. However, President Trump’s recent comments mark the most extreme escalation yet — raising questions about the line between political rhetoric and threats to civil liberties.
Legal experts responded swiftly, emphasizing that citizenship cannot be revoked on the basis of political speech or disagreement.
“Under U.S. law, Rosie O’Donnell’s citizenship — like any other natural-born citizen — is protected by the Constitution,” said Professor Emily Rios, a legal analyst at Columbia University. “What President Trump suggested has no legal footing, but the implications of the statement are deeply troubling.”
Civil rights organizations including the ACLU and Human Rights Watch issued statements condemning the suggestion, warning that it reflects a dangerous erosion of democratic norms.
Despite the backlash, President Trump remains unapologetic. In a follow-up post on Truth Social, he doubled down:
“We’ve got people who trash this country every day and still expect to enjoy everything it offers. That’s not patriotism. That’s exploitation.”
As the 2024 election season heats up, President Trump continues to draw battle lines with members of the media, celebrities, and opponents — reinforcing his role as a fierce political disruptor. Whether his comments about Rosie O’Donnell spark further legal debate or simply deepen the cultural divide remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: President Trump isn’t softening his approach — and he’s not holding back.
