Trump Floats the Idea of Yanking Rosie O’Donnell’s Citizenship—But Can He Actually Do That?
So over the weekend, Donald Trump decided to stir the pot—again. This time, he took to Truth Social with a wild suggestion: revoking Rosie O’Donnell’s U.S. citizenship. Yeah, you read that right. His post claimed she’s “not in the best interests of our Great Country,” and boom—instant viral chaos. Legal experts rolled their eyes, Twitter exploded, and honestly? It’s just the latest chapter in their never-ending feud. But here’s the real question: is this just more hot air, or does it actually mean something?
1. What Exactly Did Trump Say?
1.1 The Truth Social Bombshell
Trump’s post was classic him—short, punchy, and light on facts. “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.” No legal reasoning, no specifics. Just throwing it out there like he’s suggesting a new flavor of ice cream. And let’s be real, this isn’t some random target. These two have been at each other’s throats since the early 2000s, back when The View was must-see TV for drama lovers.
1.2 A Feud Older Than Some TikTok Users
Remember when Trump sued O’Donnell for defamation? (Spoiler: case dismissed.) Or when they traded insults about weight, hair, and basically everything else? This isn’t new. But threatening citizenship? That’s a whole other level. It’s like going from throwing popcorn at someone to threatening to burn their house down. Not cool.
2. Okay, But Legally… Can He Even Do This?
2.1 Citizenship 101: It’s Not a Take-Backsies Thing
Here’s the thing—U.S. citizenship isn’t some VIP pass Trump can just revoke because he’s annoyed. The 14th Amendment is pretty clear: if you’re born here, you’re stuck with us. Even Laurence Tribe, a big-deal constitutional lawyer, called this “pure political theater.” His exact words? “No president has the authority to strip citizenship on a whim.” So unless Rosie committed treason or faked her birth certificate (she didn’t), this is all noise.
2.2 When Has Citizenship Actually Been Revoked?
Historically, the U.S. has only done this in crazy-rare cases—like Nazis who lied to get citizenship after World War II. Trump’s vague “not in the best interests” line? Not even close to a legal standard. It’s like saying you’ll ban someone from Starbucks because they don’t like your coffee. Makes zero sense.
3. How Everyone Reacted (Spoiler: It Got Messy)
3.1 Rosie’s Clapback: A Masterclass in Sass
O’Donnell didn’t miss a beat. Her tweet? “Citizenship revoked? Sorry, Don, I was born here—just like your wives.” Mic drop. Celebs like Cher and Kathy Griffin piled on, calling the threat “un-American” and, well, kinda pathetic.
3.2 Media Frenzy: From Outrage to Memes
The Washington Post called it a “dangerous distraction.” Conservative outlets shrugged it off as “Trump being Trump.” And Twitter? Oh, it was a goldmine. Hashtags like #NotMyCitizenship trended, with people joking about revoking Trump’s access to ketchup or whatever. The internet stays undefeated.
4. Why This Matters Beyond the Drama
4.1 Trump’s Playbook: Distract, Provoke, Repeat
Let’s be honest—Trump knows exactly what he’s doing. Attacking loud critics like O’Donnell (or LeBron, or Megan Rapinoe) gets his base fired up. It’s like tossing red meat to hungry lions. And while it’s easy to laugh off, it shifts attention from stuff he doesn’t want people talking about. Classic move.
4.2 The Bigger Picture: Chilling Free Speech
Here’s what’s scary: if a former president casually floats stripping citizenship for dissent, what’s next? Targeting journalists? Activists? It’s a slippery slope, and we’re already sliding. Plus, platforms like Truth Social let this stuff spread unchecked. Not great for democracy.
5. The Takeaway: Don’t Panic, But Pay Attention
Look, Trump’s threat is legally meaningless—but symbolically? It’s heavy. It’s about normalizing extreme rhetoric and testing how much chaos people will tolerate. So yeah, laugh at the memes, but keep an eye on the bigger game. Because when it comes to democracy, the stakes are way higher than a celebrity feud.
Source: NY Post – US News
