Rosie O’Donnell told CNN’s Jake Tapper she does not expect President Donald Trump to live through the 2028 election, saying on The Lead with Jake Tapper that she “won’t survive that long” and that “his demise is visible.” Her on-air remarks, framed as opinion, immediately reignited a long-running public feud between the comedian and the president.
The exchange featured blunt language from O’Donnell and follow-up questions from Tapper about specific moments she said illustrated a broader pattern of concerning public behavior. O’Donnell and Tapper repeatedly framed those observations as opinion and not as medical findings.
What Rosie O’Donnell said on CNN
On CNN, O’Donnell told Tapper, “Well, I don’t think, Jake, that he is going to survive that long.” She added that “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.” Tapper pressed for examples as the interview steered toward recent public gaffes the two discussed.
Why she pointed to the NATO summit in Ankara
O’Donnell and Tapper referenced moments from this week’s NATO summit in Ankara that they said fit the pattern she described. She noted an instance in which President Trump appeared to misname Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as “Putin,” and Tapper raised a separate exchange in which Trump seemed to conflate the “Islamic Republic of Iran” with the “Islamic Republic of Japan.”
Those episodes were presented in the interview as illustrative examples of public misstatements; O’Donnell and Tapper emphasized these are observable moments and not clinical evaluations. Reporters and commentators often point to public behavior when assessing fitness for office, but such observations remain distinct from verified medical diagnoses.
Trump responses on Truth Social and past posts
Trump has responded to O’Donnell on Truth Social in strong language. Posts attributed to his account earlier this year said he was “giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship,” labeled her a “Threat to Humanity,” and called her “not a Great American.” Those posts are social-media statements and are not documented government actions.
No Truth Social embed is included in this report; a specific, allowable embed URL was not available for publication. The cited posts are described here based on reporting and public archives rather than an embedded Truth Social post.
These online exchanges highlight how celebrity disputes can escalate on a platform the president uses, amplifying rhetoric that some interpret as threatening even when it remains rhetorical or informal.
O’Donnell in Ireland and recent media moves
O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January 2025 with her teenage son after the 2024 election, saying the political climate influenced her decision to relocate. She has continued to appear in U.S. media and make public comments while living abroad.
In June, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said he invited O’Donnell to guest-host his show for a week beginning Aug. 17, according to Entertainment Weekly. That booking came amid renewed attention following her CNN appearance and online exchanges with the president.
What this means for the 2028 debate
O’Donnell’s prediction about Trump’s longevity and the ensuing back-and-forth feed a charged media environment that could shape perceptions ahead of the 2028 election. Unverified health claims about a public figure, especially a sitting president, can have outsized political ramifications even when presented as opinion.
Medical assertions such as dementia are not supported here by publicly released clinical evidence. The interview and subsequent coverage present observers’ opinions and reported behavior; they do not replace formal medical evaluation or documentation. Readers should distinguish between on-air opinion, journalistic observation and confirmed medical diagnosis.
Still, statements from high-profile critics and the president’s social-media responses can influence debate framing, campaign messaging and voter concerns. How much these exchanges ultimately affect the 2028 contest will depend on corroborated reporting, official statements and whether independent medical information is released and verified.
Background and context
The exchange continues a long-standing public feud between O’Donnell and Trump that has included personal attacks, media appearances and social-media posts over many years. Celebrity criticism of elected officials often becomes fodder for partisan commentary, and both sides can amplify statements to mobilize supporters.
Source attribution
This account is based on Fox News Digital’s reporting about O’Donnell’s appearance on CNN; Fox News Digital reported reaching out to the White House for comment. Source: Fox News Digital. The CNN interview cited on-air remarks by O’Donnell and Tapper; those quotes are attributed in this article to their appearance on The Lead with Jake Tapper on CNN.
Short take on the 2028 impact
High-profile media moments like this can help shape narratives heading into future elections, but assertions about health should be treated cautiously until confirmed by credible, independent medical evidence. For now, the discussion remains largely in the realm of opinion and media-driven debate.
FAQ
Did Rosie O’Donnell say Trump has dementia?
O’Donnell expressed that observers and some commentators see signs she described using terms like dementia. In the CNN interview she framed those ideas as opinion; they are not presented here as a confirmed medical diagnosis.
Did Trump threaten to revoke her citizenship on Truth Social?
Trump posted on Truth Social in July 2025 that he was “giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.” Those were social-media posts and are not documented government action.
Where does Rosie O’Donnell live now and why does it matter?
O’Donnell moved to Ireland in January 2025. Her location has been part of her public narrative about leaving the U.S. political climate and factors into how she frames her comments about American politics.
— Reporting includes material from Fox News Digital; the White House was contacted for comment.
