Rosie O'Donnell escalates feud with Trump, predicts president isn't healthy enough to live through 2028

Rosie O’Donnell predicted President Donald Trump "won’t survive that long" when asked if she would make good on her promise to leave the country until the 2028 election.

The fierce Trump critic made the remark while appearing on CNN’s "The Lead with Jake Tapper" on Friday, where she said the president’s "demise is visible" while pointing to unsubstantiated claims regarding his health.

"When you posted about leaving the U.S., you said you might return when, ‘It's safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America.’ Does that mean that when Trump leaves office, presumably in January 2029, you'll come back — or it depends on who wins the election in 2028?" Tapper asked.

ROSIE O'DONNELL CALLS TRUMP A CONMAN, NARCISSIST AND A PSYCHOPATH IN RARE PUBLIC APPEARANCE

Rosie O'Donnell photographed in Ireland after her stand-up comedy special. (Mark Doyle for Fox News Digital)

"Well, I don't think, Jake, that he is going to survive that long," O’Donnell said. "All the medical doctors that you can get accurate opinions of what's happening to him because his demise is visible and apparent to everyone who is not willfully blind."

O’Donnell went on to point to an incident earlier this week, in which Trump appeared to refer to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as "Putin" while at this week's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

"I mean, he called Zelenskyy, ‘Putin,’" O’Donnell added. "He makes the kind of mistakes that you would forgive at Thanksgiving dinner, but you would never let grandpa cut the turkey — because it might be dangerous because he doesn't know what he's saying."

WHITE HOUSE FIRES BACK AFTER 'SLOB' JB PRITZKER SAYS TRUMP IS SUFFERING FROM 'DEMENTIA'

US President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with NATO Secretary General on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, on July 8, 2026. (SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Tapper then piled onto O’Donnell’s comments, referring to comments made by Trump moments later in which he appeared to call Iran the "Islamic Republic of Japan."

"Don't forget to refer to the Islamic Republic of Japan, I think, as well," Tapper said.

"Correct," O’Donnell replied. "I mean, we can sit here and name them. There are so many obvious understandings of his dementia and how it's taking over."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on O'Donnell's comments. 

ROSIE O'DONNELL OPEN TO RETURNING TO 'THE VIEW,' LAMENTS 'THEY HAVEN'T ASKED ME'

Rosie O'Donnell attends the 79th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on June 7, 2026. (TheStewartofNY/FilmMagic)

O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January 2025 with her teenage son after Trump won reelection in 2024, citing the changing political climate and her longtime feud with the president.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Trump later blasted the comedian in two separate Truth Social posts, while threatening to revoke her citizenship.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"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," he wrote in July 2025. "She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!"

He later doubled down on his claims in September 2025, writing, "She is not a Great American and is, in my opinion, incapable of being so!"

In June, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said during his show that he asked O'Donnell, among others, if she would guest host his show during his two-month vacation, framing the choice as a "special treat" for Trump.

"I asked one of his all-time favorites — Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming," Kimmel said. O'Donnell will host for a week, beginning on August 17, according to Entertainment Weekly. 

– Fox News' Hanna Penreck contributed to this report.