Rosie O'Donnell brings Ireland-bound jabs to ABC during guest-host stint, says to Trump: "I know you're watching"

Comedian Rosie O’Donnell referenced President Donald Trump during her return to network television as a guest host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, according to The Hill. In the course of her opening monologue, O’Donnell delivered a line that included the message “I know you’re watching,” while discussing her life away from the United States.

The Hill reported that O’Donnell has a long-running feud with Trump that has drawn repeated media attention in recent months. The report said that during her guest-host appearance, she provided comparatively little direct commentary about the president compared with her focus on the day-to-day “comforts of Ireland.”

O’Donnell’s comments come after she moved to Ireland “last year,” a detail The Hill said was part of her rationale for leaving the United States during Trump’s second administration. The Hill’s account framed her return appearance as a contrast between her current setting and the administration she has publicly criticized.

According to The Hill, O’Donnell’s monologue spent more time on what she described as Ireland’s conveniences than on specific disputes with Trump, even as she still chose to reference the president in a brief, pointed moment. The report did not attribute a new policy request or formal protest to the remarks, describing them instead as part of the comedian’s broader material for the show.

The episode highlights how Trump’s second term continues to register in mainstream entertainment coverage, including through personal grievances and ongoing public commentary. The Hill’s reporting also underscored that O’Donnell’s remarks were delivered in the context of an unscripted talk-show format, where a guest host typically sets the tone for the night’s opening segment through stand-up style material.

For viewers, the immediate practical takeaway is that O’Donnell’s appearance did not center on a policy issue or a specific administration action. Instead, it used a public platform to repeat a personal narrative about her move to Ireland and to reference Trump, with the president largely appearing as a backdrop to O’Donnell’s broader monologue themes.