Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell's Feud Explored: What to Know

Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell have little appetite for peace.

They began feuding in December 2006 when O'Donnell lambasted Trump during a "Hot Topics" segment of The View, criticizing his decision not to fire the controversy-stricken Miss USA winner Tara Conner.

Trump, the co-owner of the Miss USA pageant at the time, said the beauty queen was a "good person" who deserved a "second chance" amid reports about her alleged drug and alcohol abuse. The decision allowed Conner to retain her crown, although she had to undergo rehab following the controversy.

Following Trump's announcement, O'Donnell called him the "snake-oil salesman on Little House On The Prairie." She also referenced his successful father, noting Trump was "not a self-made man."

In an interview with People, Trump fired back at O'Donnell and described her as "a real loser" and "a woman out of control."

Trump and O'Donnell became increasingly entrenched in conflict in the years that followed by taking their feud online.

In 2011, Trump dropped an insult when the comedian announced her engagement to her then-girlfriend, Michelle Rounds.

"I feel sorry for Rosie 's new partner in love whose parents are devastated at the thought of their daughter being with @Rosie–a true loser," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The tweet prompted O'Donnell to call him an "a--."

Although Trump wished her well when she suffered a heart attack in 2012, he fueled their feud again when he commented on O'Donnell's 50-pound weight loss the following year.

"I did what many women do, and I did not take care of myself," she said during an American Heart Association luncheon in Detroit, Mich. "And that's why I'm here, to try to get women to know you're worth it, take care of yourself and know the symptoms."

Trump reacted to her speech the following month, stating: "Rosie O'Donnell just said she felt 'shame' at being fat-not politically correct! She killed Star Jones for weight loss surgery, just had it!"

A few years after O'Donnell left The View following a heated argument with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, ABC announced she would return to the show in September 2014.

Trump initially said it was a "good move" on the network's part, but he later tweeted, "Rosie is back on The View which tells you how desperate they must be. It is the standard short term fix and long term disaster."

He added, "Rosie is crude, rude, obnoxious and dumb - other than that I like her very much!"

Following her reappearance on the show, O'Donnell spoke candidly about the worst bullying she had ever experienced following her weight loss.

"Probably the Trump stuff was the most bullying I ever experienced in my life, including as a child," the TV star said. "It was national, and it was sanctioned societally. Whether I deserved it is up to your own interpretation."

In response, Trump congratulated her on her show before reminding O'Donnell "[she] started it."

In 2015, the Gimme a Break! alum left The View again to prioritize her health. When asked about the development, Trump said he liked the show but O'Donnell was "a loser."

"Well, it's very sad what's happened to The View and I predicted that with Rosie O'Donnell it would fail," Trump revealed. "I guess the prediction is correct, but, I mean she's a total trainwreck, so let's see what happens and I hope it works out well."

Over the years, Trump has made headlines for sharing body-shaming comments about celebrities, including O'Donnell.

During the first Republican presidential primary debate in 2015, Megyn Kelly asked Trump about his use of language — including "fat pigs," "slobs," "disgusting animals" and "dogs" — to describe women.

"Only Rosie O'Donnell," he said, generating a response from his audience.

Following the debate, Trump said Kelly hit him "with a very, very hard question," adding, "That was when I came up with the Rosie O'Donnell statement, which really got a tremendous applause. That was the biggest applause in the evening actually, so it was sort of interesting."

When Trump was elected president in 2016, O'Donnell told W Magazine, "I seriously worry whether I personally will be able to live through [his presidency] and whether the nation will be able to live through it and survive. It's a terrifying concept, on the brink of nuclear war with a madman in charge."

In 2018, she joined an anti-Trump protest outside the White House.

After Trump's second inauguration in January, O'Donnell shared she had left the U.S. for Ireland and that she would only return when "it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America."

In a Truth Social post, Trump reignited his feud with O'Donnell when he revealed he was considering revoking her citizenship.

"Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship," he posted on the platform. "She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

O'Donnell later hit back during an appearance on RTÉ Radio's "Sunday with Miriam" show, saying, "So, I didn't take it personally, but I will tell you the way that he is has emboldened people like him."