US President Donald Trump, on Saturday, said he is considering revoking the citizenship of actor and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, his frequent critic. The White House has not said whether Trump was serious about the threat or how he would follow through on it, especially since there is no established legal way to strip a natural-born citizen of their citizenship. Trump has taken steps during his time in office to limit how people become citizens and has also looked into ways to revoke citizenship in some cases. However, below are what to know about Comedian Rosie O’Donnell: Early Life and Background Roseann O’Donnell was born on March 21, 1962, in Commack, New York. She was the third of five children. Her mother died when Rosie was 11. She and her siblings were sexually abused by their father and have a family history of “generational abuse and alcoholism.” “There were a lot of tragic deaths, early deaths, and alcoholism. There was a lot of abuse,” she said, referring to her father’s side of the family. Rise on Television In June 1996, The Rosie O’Donnell Show launched with a celebrity-filled lineup and quickly made an impact. It won an Emmy for best talk‑show host that year. In 2000, Rosie teamed up with Gruner & Jahr USA to launch Rosie’s McCall’s. She left in 2002 after disagreements about content; she wanted the magazine to focus more on real-life issues. That same year, she publicly came out as gay. Time on The View After her talk show ended in 2002, Rosie appeared in small roles on TV and in TV movies like Riding the Bus with My Sister (2005). In September 2006, she joined The View, stirring debate and boosting ratings. She often debated conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck on topics like the Bush administration and the Iraq War. Her public feud with Donald Trump began during this period. She left The View in May 2007. Rosie appeared in A League of Their Own (1992), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Another Stakeout (1993), and The Flintstones (1994). In Exit to Eden (1994), she took the lead role but received mixed reviews from critics. LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Family Rosie came out in 2002 and has been a strong advocate for same-sex adoption. She’s adopted five children and supports LGBTQ+ rights. In 2004, she helped launch R Family Vacations, offering cruises for gay and lesbian families. HBO later aired All Aboard! Rosie’s Family Cruise in 2006. Her memoirs include Find Me (2002) and Celebrity Detox (2007). Philanthropic Efforts In 2006, she donated $5.7 million for Hurricane Katrina relief and used her Find Me memoir advance to start the “For All” foundation. She also earned a Lucy Award in 2002 for her work improving women’s representation on TV. Some of her own reflections include: “I’d always been able to see that everyone else’s success was merited—but it seemed like mine must be a fluke,” and “When you don’t have that anticipation of wanting to do well, then you might as well not be doing it at all.” Health and Well‑Being Rosie has spoken openly about dealing with depression and experienced a heart attack in 2012. Since then, she has promoted meditation and wellness practices. Moving to Ireland After Donald Trump was re‑elected, Rosie moved with her son to Ireland in January 2025 and is applying for Irish citizenship based on her family roots. Trump’s Threat As a longtime critic of Trump who never stopped despite moving out of America and recently blamed the President over the recent Texas flood, Trump responded to her criticism on Truth Social by threatening to strip her U.S. 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. She is a Threat to Humanity….” This threat echoes their long-standing public feud, which began in 2006. During a 2015 Republican debate, Trump was asked about using names like “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals” for women. He replied: “Only Rosie O’Donnell.” Legal experts point out that Trump cannot revoke citizenship from someone born in the U.S. under the 14th Amendment. ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE