Rosie O'Donnell hosts 'Kimmel,' comments on Trump, honors Panettiere

Rosie O’Donnell used her first night as guest host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to reignite her long-running feud with President Donald Trump, delivering a monologue that targeted the president without speaking his name. The appearance on Monday, August 17, 2026, marked O'Donnell's return to American television and the beginning of a week-long hosting stint.

O'Donnell, who moved to Ireland in 2025, opened her set with a joke about the president's likely reaction to her hosting the show. She then spent much of the monologue discussing her new life abroad, attributing her relocation to concerns over Trump administration policies. "I’ve been living in Ireland for the past two years because of Mango Mussolini," she told the audience, referencing a plan she read about. She recounted how her child informed classmates of their move, quoting them as saying, "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."

While avoiding Trump's name, O’Donnell looked directly into the camera at one point and said, "Hi, I know you’re watching." She concluded her monologue by remarking, "Right now...