Rosie O’Donnell delivers scathing Trump criticism whilst guest hosting Kimmel
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Comedian Rosie O'Donnell used her turn as guest host on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday to deliver a pointed monologue mocking Donald Trump, continuing their long-running public feud, in a broadcast that took on added significance after ABC filed a lawsuit against the FCC just hours later. Filling in for the vacationing Jimmy Kimmel, O'Donnell opened with sarcastic reflections on how little had changed since her 1990s talk show era before pivoting to sharp political jabs, closing with a direct message to the president: "Hi, I know you're watching!"
O'Donnell, who has lived in Ireland for two years after citing Project 2025 as her reason for leaving the US, joked about her 11-year-old child Clay being told to keep the move quiet, only to announce it to their entire class. She also referenced her earlier dismissal of concerns about FCC chair Brendan Carr censoring her show, a topic given fresh relevance on Tuesday when ABC sued the FCC, alleging a "retaliatory campaign" against the network's free speech, coming just hours after her broadcast aired.
- O'Donnell mocked Trump in her Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest-host monologue.
- She joked about moving to Ireland and FCC censorship fears.
- Hours later, ABC sued the FCC over alleged free-speech retaliation.
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Rosie O'Donnell and Donald Trump have traded public insults for years, dating back to a feud that began on The View in 2006 and has flared up repeatedly since. O'Donnell relocated to Ireland roughly two years ago, saying she left partly over concerns linked to Project 2025, a conservative policy blueprint associated with Trump's political circle. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is a long-running late-night talk show on the US network ABC, and guest hosts regularly fill in when Kimmel is away.
The broadcast also touches on a separate, ongoing dispute between ABC and the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, the US government body that regulates broadcasters. Brendan Carr, the FCC's chair, has faced criticism from some entertainers and commentators who fear the agency could use its powers to pressure networks over content it dislikes, though the FCC disputes any such intent.
These two threads, O'Donnell's personal feud with Trump and the wider tension between ABC and its federal regulator, are why a single guest-hosting appearance has drawn wider attention beyond the usual late-night audience.
More coverage
- Fox News — Rosie O'Donnell’s return to late night reignites decades-old feud with Donald Trump
- The Hollywood Reporter — Rosie O’Donnell Crushed Her ‘Kimmel’ Monologue by Doing What Jimmy Kimmel Doesn’t
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Originally published by Deadline as “Rosie O’Donnell Takes Aim At Donald Trump In Fiery ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Monologue: “Hi, I Know You’re Watching!””.