What happened between Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell?  Former talk show host offers support to comedian despite tumultuous history

Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has recently offered her support to the comedian Rosie O’Donnell despite their tumultuous history.

Entertainment Weekly reported that the 67-year-old took to her Instagram account on July 13, 2025, voicing her support for O’Donnell. She shared a screenshot of President Donald Trump’s July 12 post in which he claimed that O’Donnell was “a threat to humanity”. He wrote on Truth Social:

“Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”

She added another screenshot of O’Donnell’s poem in response to Trump’s post, writing in the caption,

“Good for you, [tagged Rosie].”

DeGeneres and O’Donnell used to be friends as they rose to fame during the ‘90s at the same time, per Pride. They would hang around and attend parties together. The feud between the comedians started in 2004, when DeGeneres appeared on Larry King Live and failed to acknowledge her as her friend.

Here is what we know about the feud.

All we know about the feud between Ellen DeGeneres and Rosie O’Donnell

According to a report in OUT magazine, when Ellen DeGeneres appeared on Larry King’s show, Larry King Live, she acted like she was not friends with Rosie O’Donnell. She stated they were "not friends," which deeply hurt O'Donnell, in an interview with THR.

When King said:

“Whatever happened to Rosie O’Donnell’s show? She went down the tubes as soon as she came out.”

DeGeneres replied:

“I don’t know Rosie. We’re not friends.’ I was watching TV in bed with my wife going, ‘Did she just say that?’ It would never occur to me to say ‘I don’t know her’ about somebody whose babies I held when they were born. It wouldn’t be in my lexicon of choices to ever say.”

During her recent interview in April with US Weekly, O’Donnell said that she wasn’t aware that Ellen DeGeneres had left the US and moved to England. She said:

“I’ve never really known Ellen to say anything political in her life, so I was surprised to read that she left because of President Trump. Like, that shocked me, actually.”

She added:

“We’re not really in each other’s worlds, and it’s been kind of awkward but you know what? I wish her the best. I wish that she has peace and love in her life and that she is OK.”

This was not the first time she spoke about her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres. During a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she said:

“It was a good relationship. We were friends. We supported each other. Which is why when she came on my show, I said, 'Let me not have you standing there by yourself. Let's get a joke in there'."

Their relationship took a turn when Ellen DeGeneres officially came out in 1997. She said that it was “strange” as there was “weirdness” in their relationship. She said:

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“I don’t know if it's jealousy, competition or the fact that she said a mean thing about me once that really hurt my feelings.”

She is yet to comment on DeGeneres’ recent response to Trump’s social media post that criticized her.

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