Rosie O’Donnell stepped in as host for Jimmy Kimmel Monday evening and made herself right at home by taking aim at President Donald Trump during her opening monologue.
“They said you can’t come home again, but here I am,” O’Donnell, who received a standing ovation at the start of the show, said at the beginning of her monologue. “And if you thought the president hated ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, buckle up, people, buckle up.”
Later on in her monologue, O’Donnell reflected on her decision to leave the United States for Ireland in 2025, which came about after longtime nemesis Trump started his second term as president.
“I’ve been living in Ireland for the past two years, because of Mango Mussolini, I read that Project 2025 and said, ‘Got to get myself out of here,’” she recalled. “And I decided to go to Ireland, a place where people are driven to drink, regardless of who’s running their country.”
O’Donnell then recalled how her child responded to learning of their move, telling her studio audience, “They went to school and proceeded to tell their entire class, ‘I’m very sorry. I won’t be able to graduate sixth grade with you. I’m being forced to move to another country because the president of the United States hates my mother. But in all fairness, I believe my mother hates him more.’”
The comedian then took a moment to call out President Trump directly, noting into the camera, “Hi, I know you’re watching.”
She poked fun at Trump one last time before signing off her monologue, telling the audience, “And you know, right now he’s in the White House crying ’cause I haven’t mentioned him.”
O’Donnell notably did not say Trump’s name once during her monologue.
Watch her full monologue below.
O’Donnell’s appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” came two months after the eponymous host confirmed that she would be one of his guest hosts during his summer break.
“Well, I hope you’re paying attention this summer because I will be taking the next two months off,” Kimmel told his right-hand Guillermo Rodriguez in June. “This time voluntarily.”
He continued: “But we have assembled a potent group of hosts to fill in for me, beginning with Tiffany Haddish, Colman Domingo, Ike Barinholtz, Anthony Anderson, Jelly Roll and, as a special treat for our commander-in-chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming.”
O’Donnell was a notable choice at the time, given her nearly two-decade feud with Trump – which has seen the actress and the president exchange a number of jabs at one another over the years
In response to Kimmel’s invitation, O’Donnell took to Instagram and wrote, “And I can’t wait!!!”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC.
