Overview
- Rosie O'Donnell guest-hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! and opened her weeklong stint with a monologue that directly taunted President Trump without naming him, drawing loud applause and widespread media attention.
- She explained that she has lived in Ireland for the past two years because of President Trump and cited Project 2025 as a reason she left the United States.
- O'Donnell paused during the show to give a heartfelt tribute to actress Hayden Panettiere, who died over the weekend, and said she plans to return to the U.S. soon.
- Hours after O'Donnell's debut, ABC filed a lawsuit against the FCC alleging the agency's investigations and regulatory actions form a retaliatory campaign tied to the administration to curb the network's speech.
- O'Donnell also warned about the possible David Ellison takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery and criticized recent rightward shifts at major news outlets, a concern that frames broader worries about consolidation, editorial change, and pressure on journalists.