The comedian and actress moved to Ireland with her child Clay, doing so after Donald Trump — with whom she has been in a very public feud — was re-elected for a second term in the 2024 Presidential election.
Speaking on "Ireland AM" following her move and to speak about Autism Awareness Day, Rosie has said that both she and Clay love it in Ireland.
She said that not only does 12-year-old Clay love being outside and playing, but it’s much safer here for them than in the US.
"They love it here," Rosie said.
"In America, it was hard for me to get them to go outside. They like staying home, love their iPad, they’re a digital artist, they do voiceovers on cartoons, but didn’t like to go out. Well, I can’t keep them home now. Isn’t that great?"
Rosie also admitted that Clay loved the pub culture — as they’re allowed to be in a pub and just not be served alcohol rather than not be allowed in a bar at all — but overall, Rosie admitted that it’s just far safer for her and Clay in Ireland at the minute.
"It’s so much safer," Rosie said.
"In fact, [Clay’s] with friends walking places now. And when I was first here, they were telling me when we were looking for places to stay and live, they were like 'oh [it’s] a great place because they’ll be able to take their bike to school.' And I was like 'over my dead body, they’re not riding a bike to school.' And now they’re able to do that.
"It’s just such a different culture and different feeling of safety for Clay as well as me."
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While Rosie has had a sustained rivalry with then real estate magnate and "The Apprentice" host Donald Trump long before he seriously considered running for President, she admitted that after he was re-elected for his second term, she began getting harassed — including in one incident where she was with Clay.
"After he won, I was in a CVS [US pharmacy] with my child, and two different people — one with a MAGA hat and one a Trump supporter — came over to me and started telling me with curse words 'our guy won,' and you know, said the F word in front of my child, and they said 'why are people cursing at us?'
"I said 'Remember I told you there was a guy who was not so nice, and he’s running for President again? Remember when you were a little baby and he was the President and everything went wrong?' She said yes and then I said 'Well, he’s back now.' And [Clay] said 'it’s time to go.'"
Rosie admitted that Mr. Trump’s dislike of her wasn’t that big of a deal before he ran for office, saying that while she was the popular "queen of nice" in the 1990s and 2000s, she has become hated by half the country due to her repeated criticisms of Mr. Trump — and his reciprocations.
"It’s a difficult, difficult time for me, mentally and emotionally," Rosie said.
"It’s something to go from being a kind of known celebrity in America that people liked, that won a lot of accolades, to being despised by half the population.
"Half the country think [Trump] is the new coming of Jesus Christ, and half the country sees what’s happening, that fascism has taken hold in America, and that’s terrifying. Not just for America, but for the world."
"My child said, 'It's time for us to go.'"
Rosie O’Donnell reflects on her decades-long feud with Donald Trump, the harassment she faced after his election, and why she ultimately left the U.S. for a new life in Ireland
— Ireland AM (@IrelandAMVMTV) April 3, 2025
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* This article was originally published on Extra.ie.
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