Rosie O’Donnell Finds Safety and New Purpose in Self-Imposed Irish Exile

Rosie O’Donnell’s decision to leave the United States and resettle in Ireland has reshaped both her daily life and her public role as one of the most recognizable lesbian entertainers in America. The 63-year-old comedian and actor describes the move as a “self-imposed exile,” rooted in concerns about political regression and safety for herself and her family after Donald Trump won a second term as U.S. president.

O’Donnell has spoken publicly about feeling a sense of dread as the election results became clear, telling an Irish television audience that she felt “on the verge of crying” when Trump was elected again. A longtime critic of Trump, she said she put a concrete relocation plan in place with her therapist before the vote, promising herself that if he returned to office, she would move abroad.

O’Donnell arrived in Ireland on 2025-01-15 and has since been living in a rented home while pursuing Irish citizenship through her grandparents’ roots. She has said she never imagined permanently leaving the U.S., where she built a career that spanned film roles in “A League of Their Own” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” a successful daytime program “The Rosie O’Donnell Show,” and later a high-profile stint on “The View.”

In interviews, O’Donnell has tied her move explicitly to the political climate, pointing to the erosion of protections for marginalized communities and to her belief that equal rights are no longer secure in the United States. She has said she and her family will only consider returning “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights” in America, framing her departure as both personal and political.

Ireland, she has explained, was a deliberate choice: as an Irish American, she felt drawn to her family’s heritage and dismissed suggestions that she seek refuge in other European countries. When asked why she did not choose Italy or France, she reportedly responded, “Because I’m Irish. So I went to Ireland.”

In Dublin, O’Donnell describes a slower, more grounded existence. She says the city’s social atmosphere allows her to walk the streets, shop, and dine with far less security and scrutiny than in the U.S., where she had previously lived behind gates and moved quickly between car and house. A longtime friend, Jeanne Kopetic, told reporters that O’Donnell now “comfortably just settles herself among the people,” a stark contrast with her guarded life in the States.

O’Donnell has also recounted everyday encounters that underscore both solidarity and respite, including a Halloween greeting from a local who reportedly told her, “Welcome to Ireland, Rosie. We hate Trump, too.” These interactions, she suggests, make her feel safer and more accepted as an outspoken lesbian public figure.

Central to her relocation is her role as a parent. O’Donnell moved with her youngest child, 12-year-old Dakota “Clay” O’Donnell, who is nonbinary and autistic. Friends say that Ireland’s relative calm has allowed her to focus more closely on family life and on supporting Clay’s needs in an environment she perceives as less hostile to LGBTQ+ people.

Despite the geographic distance, O’Donnell remains engaged in creative and public work. She has reportedly agreed to star as a mother in an upcoming Irish sitcom and has been approached about hosting a weekly talk show, which would mark a return to regular on-screen duties. At the same time, she is said to be developing a one-woman show that reflects on her mother’s death and her own experiences, continuing a long-running pattern of integrating personal history, grief, and activism.

O’Donnell’s critique of Trump and of broader political trends has long been rooted in advocacy for marginalized communities, including LGBTQ+ people. On “The View,” she publicly condemned his treatment of women and his rhetoric about others, sparking a years-long feud in which Trump attacked her appearance and character. In recent comments about her move, she has linked that history of confrontation to a broader concern that U.S. policy shifts are endangering queer and transgender people as well as other vulnerable groups.

Friends and colleagues have portrayed O’Donnell as deeply empathetic and drawn to those who are emotionally wounded, a quality they say underpins both her humanitarian efforts and her public advocacy. Former HBO programming head Carolyn Strauss described her as having a “porous” boundary with the world and a “gravitational pull toward the wounded,” while producer Sheila Nevins has expressed both admiration and concern about the emotional cost of that sensitivity.

For now, O’Donnell has indicated she intends to remain in Ireland even after Trump leaves office in 2028, saying she has promised Clay that their new home will be permanent. That choice underscores the depth of her disillusionment with the current state of U.S. politics—and positions her Irish exile as both a family safety decision and a symbolic protest grounded in an LGBTQ+ perspective on security, equality, and belonging.