Donald Trump Won't Survive To 2028 Election In Brutal CNN Swipe, Rosie O'Donnell Predicts

Rosie O'Donnell used a CNN appearance on 10 July to make an extraordinary claim about Donald Trump's future, telling host Jake Tapper she does not believe the US president will live to see the 2028 election, a remark that has quickly circulated online and reignited scrutiny of the pair's long-running feud.

The comment came during an interview on The Lead with Jake Tapper, when O'Donnell was asked whether she would consider returning to the United States once Trump leaves office in January 2029. 'Well, I don't think, Jake, that he is going to survive that long,' she said, without offering medical evidence to support the claim.

For context, O'Donnell has been living in Ireland since Trump's re-election in 2024, relocating with her 13-year-old child, Clay. She has repeatedly framed the move as a response to political conditions in the US, saying she would only consider returning when it feels 'safe for all citizens to have equal rights.'

Rosie O'Donnell's Donald Trump Health Claims Draw Scrutiny

Pressed on her remark, O'Donnell doubled down, pointing to what she described as visible signs of decline in the president's public appearances. '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,' she said.

She cited verbal slip-ups as evidence, including a moment where Trump appeared to confuse Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

'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,' she added.

Tapper interjected with another example, referencing a past instance in which Trump appeared to misstate 'the Islamic Republic of Japan'. O'Donnell agreed, responding, 'Correct,' before claiming there were 'so many obvious understandings of his dementia and how it's taking over'.

No official medical diagnosis has been presented publicly to support those assertions. The White House has not issued a response to O'Donnell's latest remarks, and IBTimes UK cannot independently verify claims regarding the president's health, so they should be treated with caution.

Even so, the comments landed with force. Clips of the exchange spread across X and other platforms within hours, with reactions split along familiar political lines. Supporters of Trump dismissed the remarks as offensive speculation, while critics of the president amplified them as part of broader concerns about age and fitness for office. It is messy, blunt, and very online, the kind of clip that travels faster than any careful fact-check ever could.

Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell Feud Resurfaces

The latest flashpoint is only the newest chapter in a feud that stretches back nearly two decades. Trump has frequently targeted O'Donnell in public statements, and she has responded in kind, often sharply.

In July 2025, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was 'giving serious consideration' to revoking O'Donnell's US citizenship, adding that she was 'a Threat to Humanity' and should remain in Ireland. The post drew criticism from legal experts at the time, who noted that a president cannot unilaterally strip citizenship in such a manner.

That history matters here. O'Donnell's remarks were not delivered in a vacuum, and her critics argue they reflect personal animosity as much as political concern. Her supporters, on the other hand, see them as consistent with her long-standing criticism of Trump's conduct and rhetoric.

There is also a timing element. O'Donnell is set to return to a prominent US platform next month, with Entertainment Weekly reporting she will guest host Jimmy Kimmel Live! for a week beginning 17 August. Jimmy Kimmel himself introduced the booking by saying he had asked 'one of his all-time favourites' to step in, a move likely to place O'Donnell back at the centre of American entertainment and political commentary.

Whether that appearance will amplify or soften the tone of her recent remarks is unclear. What is clear is that her CNN interview has already injected fresh energy into debates about Trump's health, age, and fitness for office, topics that have hovered over US politics on both sides of the aisle.

And then there is the uncomfortable question beneath it all. How far should public figures go when speculating about a political opponent's health, especially without evidence. It is the kind of line that gets crossed quickly on television, and even faster once the clip hits social media.

For now, there is no indication that O'Donnell intends to walk back her comments. Nor has there been any official response from Trump or his team. The silence, in its own way, keeps the story alive.