For nearly 20 years, Rosie O’Donnell and Donald Trump have been locked in one of the longest-running celebrity-political feuds in modern American culture.
It began as a disagreement on daytime television.
It eventually evolved into something far more personal.
Now, in a candid new interview, O’Donnell says the experience left lasting emotional scars, comparing the years of public attacks to living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“It’s Very Strange”
Speaking to People, O’Donnell reflected on what it has been like to spend two decades as one of Trump’s most frequent public targets.
“It’s like a post-traumatic stress disorder for me… it’s very strange to have supposedly the most powerful man in the world be your archnemesis.”
She explained that Trump repeatedly used her as a punchline over the years, making their feud feel surreal.
“If you had written this as a movie,” she said, “it would be unbelievable.”
A Feud That Started in 2006
The conflict dates back to 2006, when O’Donnell criticized Trump during an episode of The View over his handling of the Miss USA pageant controversy.
Trump responded publicly, calling her insulting names and threatening legal action.
From there, the exchanges continued through interviews, debates, television appearances, and social media.
Even after Trump entered politics and later returned to the White House, he continued referencing O’Donnell in speeches and online posts, while she remained one of his most outspoken celebrity critics.
Leaving the United States Changed Her Perspective
O’Donnell says relocating to Ireland after Trump’s return to office gave her something she hadn’t experienced in years: distance.
Without the constant cycle of American political news, she said she began to reconnect with the person she was before the feud dominated so much of her public identity.
She described feeling “softer” emotionally and less consumed by public criticism than she had been while living in the United States.
PTSD and Public Conflict
O’Donnell’s comments have also sparked discussion about trauma and prolonged public harassment.
While she compared her experience to PTSD, only a qualified healthcare professional can diagnose that condition.
Mental health experts generally recognize that prolonged exposure to threats, harassment, or intense stress can have significant psychological effects, but they caution against drawing clinical conclusions without an individual evaluation.
Her remarks should therefore be understood as describing her personal experience rather than announcing a formal medical diagnosis.
A Feud That Never Really Ended
Despite moving overseas, O’Donnell says the conflict has continued.
In recent years, Trump has publicly criticized her multiple times, including comments about her decision to leave the United States and suggestions that her citizenship should be reconsidered—remarks that drew significant public attention and criticism.
For O’Donnell, that persistence is precisely what has made the feud feel so unusual.
She says it is difficult to comprehend being the focus of repeated attention from someone who also occupies the nation’s highest office.
Looking Forward Instead of Back
The interview comes as O’Donnell prepares for a busy new chapter.
She recently launched her one-woman stage show, Common Knowledge, and is scheduled to guest-host Jimmy Kimmel Live! during Jimmy Kimmel’s summer break.
Rather than centering her future on the feud, O’Donnell says she is focused on family, creative work, and rebuilding a sense of normalcy after years of political turmoil.
Why Her Comments Are Resonating
Celebrity feuds are common.
Few, however, last two decades.
Fewer still involve a comedian and a sitting president.
Whether readers sympathize with O’Donnell or disagree with her politics, her latest interview offers a rare glimpse into the personal consequences of one of America’s longest-running public rivalries.
For O’Donnell, the story has never simply been about politics.
It has been about living for years under the spotlight of a feud she says changed her life—and trying, at last, to move beyond it.