Jul 12, 2025 9:45:02 pm
President Donald Trump says he is “giving serious consideration” to revoking the citizenship of actress and activist Rosie O’Donnell, a fierce critic of his administration. While it’s unclear if Trump has any legal means to pursue such an idea, he took to his Truth Social platform to dramatically escalate a conflict with those who oppose his administration’s policies.
“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,” the president said. “She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA.”
O’Donnell currently resides in Ireland. She responded to the president’s remarks on her Instagram account.
“The president of the USA has always hated the fact that I see him for who he is – a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself,” she said. “He is a dangerous, old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy, compassion and basic humanity.”
According to FindLaw, the Supreme Court has ruled that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution does not allow for the revocation of the citizenship of a natural-born citizen. O’Donnell was born in the United States.
This isn’t the first time Trump has discussed revoking citizenship of a U.S. citizen either. He has made similar remarks New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who was born in Uganda.
“Look, we don’t need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I’m going to be watching over him very carefully on behalf of the nation,” Trump told reporters. “A lot of people are saying he’s here illegally. You know, we’re going to look at everything.”
According to New York Magazine, Mamdani moved to the United States with his family in 1998 when he was 7 years old, and he became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018.
Mamdani responded to the threats by saying he would “not accept this intimidation” from the president.
“The President of the United States just threatened to have me arrested, stripped of my citizenship, put in a detention camp and deported. Not because I have broken any law but because I will refuse to let ICE terrorize our city,” he said in a statement, according to Newsweek. “His statements don’t just represent an attack on our democracy, but an attempt to send a message to every New Yorker who refuses to hide in the shadows: if you speak up, they will come for you.”
Trump’s administration has explored multiple avenues to preventing or revoking citizenship. It started on Inauguration Day when his administration announced via executive order that it would seek to end birthright citizenship, which critics and legal experts say violates the 14th Amendment. Legal wrangling over that order remains ongoing.
The Trump administration has also repeatedly indicated that “denaturalization” is a strategy they wish to pursue as part of their immigration enforcement actions. The move would target U.S. citizens who were not born in the country, with NPR citing research indicating that 25 million Americans were not born in the United States.
U.S. attorneys would seek denaturalization as a legal tool in cases involving “certain crimes,” according to memos cited by NBC News.
IMAGES: Rosie O’Donnell at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival premiere for the I Am Because We Are documentary, about the millions of orphans in the African country of Malawi who lost parents and siblings to HIV and AIDS.
New York mayoral candidate, State Rep. Zohran Mamdani (left) is joined by fellow mayoral candidate Brad Lander during an election night gathering on June 24, 2025. Mamdani and Lander, who is New York City’s comptroller and is also Jewish, co-endorsed in the race. – Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images.