White House Takes a Dig at Rosie O'Donnell While Mocking Mark Hamill's Decision To Stay In US After Trump's Win

The White House has fired back at Mark Hamill after the Star Wars actor admitted he considered leaving the United States following Donald Trump's 2024 election victory.

In a barbed statement, a spokeswoman mocked Hamill's wavering and added a dig at comedian Rosie O'Donnell, a long-time Trump adversary.

'Since Mark has decided to stay in the United States, he will get to enjoy the many wins President Trump is securing for the American people — and really, who can blame him for second-guessing a plan to move to the same place as Rosie O'Donnell,' the spokesperson said.

The remark drew laughter from Trump supporters online and reignited the decades-long feud between Trump and O'Donnell.

The Rosie O'Donnell Factor

O'Donnell has been one of Trump's most persistent critics, sparring with him since the early 2000s. She once suggested she would leave the US if Trump ever became president — a comment conservatives continue to throw back at her. Trump, for his part, has called her 'a loser' and 'a real dummy' on multiple occasions.

By invoking O'Donnell in its response to Hamill, the White House lumped the Hollywood actor with another high-profile liberal who threatened to emigrate but ultimately stayed.

The jab at O'Donnell is far from random. For decades, the comedian and former talk show host has been a vocal critic of Trump, famously engaging in social media sparring with him. Trump, in turn, has repeatedly targeted her with insults, calling her 'a loser' and 'a real dummy.'

O'Donnell once suggested she would leave the country if Trump became president, a remark conservatives have never let her live down.

The White House's mention of her in connection with Hamill was a way of mocking Hollywood liberals who threatened to emigrate but ultimately stayed put.

Hamill Nearly Left America

Hamill, 73, made the revelation in an interview with The Times of London. The actor said Trump's return to power rattled him so much he considered relocating to the UK or Ireland, even pitching the idea to his wife.

'She's very clever,' Hamill recalled. 'She didn't respond right away, but a week later she said, 'I'm surprised you would allow him to force you out of your own country.' That son of a b—h, I thought. I'm not leaving.'

Hamill previously lived in London during filming and has long been an outspoken supporter of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, campaigning publicly for Democrats in recent years.

Hamill's Anger at Trump Administration

Hamill is undeterred in his criticism of Trump's policies and leadership style. He described the administration as 'bullying' and 'incompetent,' comparing it to a surreal political novel.

'The only way I can deal with it without going crazy and wanting to open my veins in a warm tub is to look at it like a thick, sprawling political novel,' Hamill said. 'It's entertaining in a way because this could be the end. Our status in the world has been crippled, and that will reverberate for decades.'

The actor mocked Trump's controversial foreign policy proposals, including references to making Canada the 51st state, annexing Greenland, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico. 'The distractions are hilarious,' Hamill quipped, even as he suggested the consequences would be far from funny.

Celebrity Politics in the Trump Era

Hamill's comments underline the growing divide between Hollywood liberals and Trump's America. As Luke Skywalker and the voice of the Joker in Batman adaptations, Hamill holds cultural weight that amplifies his political views.

For the White House, however, turning Hollywood criticism into punchlines has become a strategy — one that both belittles detractors and energises conservative supporters.

The spat illustrates how celebrity, politics, and entertainment remain closely intertwined in the Trump era. For Hamill, staying in the US is an act of defiance; for the White House, mocking his threats to leave is a way to turn resistance into ridicule.

Hamill's decision to remain in the US despite his frustrations, and the White House's pointed response, underscores how intertwined politics and celebrity have become in the Trump era, observers note.

For the administration, turning Hollywood's criticisms into punchlines serves as a way of belittling opponents, they added. As far as stars like Hamill are concerned, using their platform to speak out is an act of resistance, even if it invites ridicule from the very powers they oppose.