{"id":574871,"date":"2026-08-20T13:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T13:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/574871\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T13:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T13:24:11","slug":"rosie-odonnell-draws-gasps-over-natalie-dig-at-trump-amid-scrutiny-over-his-trusted-aide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/574871\/","title":{"rendered":"Rosie O\u2019Donnell draws gasps over \u2018Natalie\u2019 dig at Trump amid scrutiny over his trusted aide"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a data-ylk=\"slk:Rosie O&#039;Donnell;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/tv\/news\/rosie-odonnell-jimmy-kimmel-trump-hayden-panettiere-b3034806.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Rosie O&#8217;Donnell<\/a> didn&#8217;t have much to say about her nemesis Donald Trump on Wednesday night&#8217;s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but was sure to make <a data-ylk=\"slk:one very pointed dig.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-natalie-harp-trunk-suv-b3036105.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">one very pointed dig.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">O&#8217;Donnell has largely steered clear of the president during her <a data-ylk=\"slk:week guest-hosting the late night show;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/tv\/news\/rosie-odonnell-trump-kimmel-straight-hormuz-b3035528.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">week guest-hosting the late night show<\/a>, limiting herself to just a few barbs per monologue before moving on to other topics.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">She opened Wednesday&#8217;s episode wishing viewers &#8220;a special hello to those of you watching from home and from the White House.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;But I do have some bad news for President Petty Roosevelt,&#8221; she continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;That&#8217;s all I&#8217;m going to say about you tonight, sweetheart. You got to realize it&#8217;s time to hang up your wig and let Natalie tuck you in,&#8221; O&#8217;Donnell quipped, drawing audible &#8220;woahs&#8221; from the live studio audience. &#8220;Time to go nighty-night!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Rosie O'Donnell has largely steered clear of President Trump while hosting 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' this week, but hasn't ignored him completely (ABC)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_independent_577\/3a28b89ae048376dbbc2a05e131a19bd.png\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Rosie O&#8217;Donnell has largely steered clear of President Trump while hosting &#8216;Jimmy Kimmel Live&#8217; this week, but hasn&#8217;t ignored him completely (ABC)<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Trump's relationship with his close aide, Natalie Harp, has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks (Getty)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_independent_577\/66b0bcc84e58e797c1f3cfed79551786.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Trump&#8217;s relationship with his close aide, Natalie Harp, has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks (Getty)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Independent has contacted The White House for comment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">O&#8217;Donnell&#8217;s joke is aimed at Trump&#8217;s <a data-ylk=\"slk:relationship with his trusted aide, Natalie Harp;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-natalie-harp-security-clearance-b3036034.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">relationship with his trusted aide, Natalie Harp<\/a>. The pair&#8217;s relationship has been under scrutiny in recent weeks after it was reported that Harp, 35, was among a small group of aides chosen to accompany Trump, 80, aboard <a data-ylk=\"slk:a military aircraft departing Turkey last month;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-plane-switch-iran-missile-threat-b3031831.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">a military aircraft departing Turkey last month<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Harp reportedly helps manage <a data-ylk=\"slk:Trump&#039;s Truth Social account;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-hormuz-strait-truth-social-b3035048.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Trump&#8217;s Truth Social account<\/a> and handles a range of other administrative tasks for the president.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In a recently published book, New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan reported that Harp was known to leave Trump, 80, adoring notes, including one that read: &#8220;<a data-ylk=\"slk:You are all that matters to me;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-aide-notes-natalie-harp-b3004534.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">You are all that matters to me<\/a>.&#8221; The authors said they interviewed numerous Washington insiders for the book.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Haberman has also referred to Harp, a former One America News Network presenter, as Trump&#8217;s &#8220;binkie&#8221; and &#8220;<a data-ylk=\"slk:comfort blanket;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-natalie-harp-new-nickname-b3034437.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">comfort blanket<\/a>.&#8221; Her estranged brother, meanwhile, has described her relationship with the president as &#8220;<a data-ylk=\"slk:very unhealthy;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-aide-natalie-harp-brother-b3003738.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">very unhealthy<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The White House, for its part, has vigorously defended Harp.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Harp, 35, helps manage Trump's Truth Social account and handles a range of other administrative tasks for the president (AFP\/Getty)\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_independent_577\/a30848dd2c473f8f8d69891b12c813e8.jpg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Harp, 35, helps manage Trump&#8217;s Truth Social account and handles a range of other administrative tasks for the president (AFP\/Getty)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;No president has cultivated as much loyalty among their staffers and administration officials as President Trump; this is a testament to his commitment to our country and its people,&#8221; a White House spokesperson previously told The Independent. &#8220;Natalie Harp is a beloved White House Official, and the Fake News Media will never understand what it&#8217;s like to be as trusted and admired as her.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">O&#8217;Donnell has earned rave reviews for her guest-hosting stint on Kimmel this week.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On Tuesday night, she <a data-ylk=\"slk:skewered Trump&#039;s claim that the Strait of Hormuz was a &quot;new U.S. territory;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/arts-entertainment\/tv\/news\/rosie-odonnell-trump-kimmel-straight-hormuz-b3035528.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">skewered Trump&#8217;s claim that the Strait of Hormuz was a &#8220;new U.S. territory<\/a>,&#8221; saying it &#8220;made literally no sense.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Earlier in the monologue, O&#8217;Donnell even thanked Trump for the renewed attention he has brought to her career.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;This has been kind of a strange experience for me because all of a sudden I&#8217;m re-famous,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I&#8217;m back in the spotlight, all thanks to President Oompa J. Loompa, who is watching us this evening from inside a catering cart,&#8221; she added, referencing <a data-ylk=\"slk:Trump&#039;s mode of escape following an assassination threat from Iran.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/us-politics\/trump-iran-assassination-threat-air-force-one-turkey-nato-summit-b3030936.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Trump&#8217;s mode of escape following an assassination threat from Iran.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;You know, I couldn&#8217;t have done it without you, sweetie,&#8221; the host quipped. &#8220;You brought me back \u2014 just like you did with fascism and the measles.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">On her Kimmel debut on Monday, O&#8217;Donnell kicked off the show with a warning to Trump: &#8220;They said you can&#8217;t come home again, but here I am. And if you thought the president hated Jimmy Kimmel Live! when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, buckle up, people. Buckle up!&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Rosie O&#8217;Donnell didn&#8217;t have much to say about her nemesis Donald Trump on Wednesday night&#8217;s episode of Jimmy&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":574872,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[65,156,688,283281,283280,111,139,69,8941,437,5189],"class_list":["post-574871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tv","tag-donald-trump","tag-entertainment","tag-jimmy-kimmel","tag-maggie-haberman","tag-natalie-harp","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-rosie-odonnell","tag-tv","tag-white-house"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574871","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=574871"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574871\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/574872"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=574871"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=574871"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=574871"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}