Comedian Rosie O'Donnell revealed that she missed her daughter's college graduation after moving to Ireland, a decision she attributed to President Donald Trump.

Earlier this year, the comedian and former talk-show host, 63, opened up about her move away from the United States, a decision sparked by the political climate following Trump's election win in 2024. O'Donnell, who has five children, has criticized the president after he threatened to revoke the American-born actress and host's U.S. citizenship, despite the lack of constitutional power to do so.

In a Sept. 8 episode of the "No Filter" podcast, O'Donnell said her security staff advised her not to return to the United States for her daughter's graduation, adding that the president would "use me to rile his base."

"I'm his nemesis in his mind and to them," she told podcast host Kate Langbroek. "To a third of the country. That's a very difficult place to be."

In an Instagram post in May, the comedian celebrated her daughter's achievement.

"My smart beautiful loving daughter vivi is graduating from college," O'Donnell said in the post. "im so proud of her!!!!"

'He went after me because he's misogynistic and sexist'

On the podcast, O'Donnell confirmed that she has never actually had a conversation with Trump despite previously attending his wedding. The move, according to O'Donnell, took a toll on certain relationships in her life, emphasizing that the decision was about self-preservation rather than making a political statement.

"I knew that the last time he was in office was very difficult for me. I was eating too much. I was drinking too much," she disclosed. "I was talking about him in 2007, and he hasn't stopped using me as a punchline ever since. Many, many, many male comedians did what I did and worse, but he didn't go after them in the way he went after me because he's misogynistic and sexist and cruel."

O'Donnell added that the tumult with the president took a burden on her mental health. She recounted an experience at a CVS store where a man wearing a MAGA hat approached her and her child, saying: "Screw you. Trump won."

"I wanted to take her to a place where decency still lived and where I wouldn't have to witness what he was going to do to the country, which he outlined in the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025," she added.

The White House dismissed O'Donnell's accusations of Trump targeting her because she is a woman.

"The President’s comments about Rosie O’Donnell have nothing to do with her gender and everything to do with her terrible personality and the fact that she is a threat to humanity!" White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told USA TODAY in a statement.

Trump threatened to revoke O'Donnell's citizenship

Trump has repeatedly dangled the idea of revoking O'Donnell's citizenship, including in a July 12 Truth Social post where she said the comedian is "not in the best interests of our Great Country."

"She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Trump wrote.

Birthright citizenship — explicitly granted by the 14th Amendment — says that virtually anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a citizen.

"As previously mentioned, we are giving serious thought to taking away Rosie O’Donnell's Citizenship," Trump said alongside a distorted image of the comedian's face. "She is not a Great American and is, in my opinion, incapable of being so!"

Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Jay Stahl, and Edward Segarra

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rosie O'Donnell says she missed her daughter's graduation due to Trump feud

Reporting by Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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