Following Donald Trump’s triumph in the 2024 presidential election over Kamala Harris, comedian Rosie O’Donnell made headlines with her surprising move to Ireland. In a TikTok video shared on March 11, 2025, O’Donnell confirmed that she relocated abroad shortly after the election.
According to O’Donnell, she departed the United States on January 15, 2025, just days before Trump’s inauguration. The move was made with her 12-year-old non-binary child, Dakota, affectionately nicknamed Clay. O’Donnell described her experience in Ireland as “pretty wonderful,”although she expressed a desire to return to the U.S. only when equal rights for all citizens are secured.
“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy; I miss my other kids. I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back.”
Prior to officially announcing her move, O’Donnell engaged with her followers on Instagram, hinting at her new life abroad. On March 7, she posted a now-private selfie from a car, commenting on the unique experience of driving on the “wrong side of the road”compared to the U.S.
Life Update from Rosie O’Donnell in Ireland
In her TikTok video, O’Donnell elaborated on her relocation, sharing insights into her daily life in Ireland. She expressed immense gratitude for her new environment and highlighted the kindness and warmth of the local people.
“The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful.”
O’Donnell mentioned that settling in has been a smooth process, and she considers her decision to move one of the most challenging yet rewarding choices she has made for herself and her child. She noted her personal connection to Ireland as her grandparents were born there, and she is currently pursuing Irish citizenship.
This significant move comes in the wake of previous statements where O’Donnell was rumored to have considered relocating to Canada if Trump won the presidency in 2016. In a 2017 interview, Marc Lotter, former press secretary for ex-Vice President Mike Pence, claimed O’Donnell stated she would leave for Canada. However, she later clarified in an August 2023 TikTok comment that she never made such a statement.
O’Donnell’s move to Ireland aligns her with other notable celebrities who have left the U.S. following Trump’s reelection, such as Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, who now reside in the picturesque Cotswolds of England.