Rosie O'Donnell Goes Off on Trump Supporters After UFC Fighter's Offensive Remark

When Rosie O’Donnell caught wind of what happened at the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House, she didn’t hold back. The longtime Trump critic unleashed a sharp rebuke of the president and his supporters over a comment made by UFC fighter Josh Hokit during a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan.

Hokit’s remark—declaring“Michelle Obama is a man. Am I right, America?”—was the spark that set O’Donnell off. When TMZ asked if she’d seen it, the 64-year-old former cohost of The View was blunt:“Yes, and that’s exactly what Trump is and that’s exactly what his fans are — racist, homophobic, un-American.”The feud between O’Donnell and Trump is nothing new; it’s been brewing for nearly two decades, with her consistently critical of his politics and character. She even relocated to Dublin, Ireland, before Trump’s presidential inauguration in January 2025, partly to distance herself from his political climate.

O’Donnell wasn’t alone in her outrage. During Monday’s episode of The View, cohost Sunny Hostin emphasized the weight of the moment, explaining that Black women have historically been targeted with slurs meant to undermine their femininity and beauty.“The crowd laughed at the statement and the president of the United States smirked and never addressed what was said,”Hostin said.“That is beneath the dignity of the office of the president of the United States and it’s beneath the dignity of the American people.”Former cohost of The Talk Holly Robinson Peete also voiced her frustration on Instagram, writing that“no insult can shrink a woman whose legacy is already larger than the people attacking her.”

The White House seemed intent on moving past the controversy. When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked White House spokesman Steven Cheung about the fight on Monday, Cheung steered the conversation toward the fighter’s performance, commenting only on the“great win”and the fighter’s“toughness and the ability to pressure his opponent both on his feet and on the ground”—notably absent was any acknowledgment of the offensive statement. The Obamas, for their part, have remained silent on Hokit’s comment. What’s clear is that the moment has become a flashpoint in broader conversations about respect, dignity, and what gets laughed off on a public stage.