President Trump on Thursday cited an unusual ally to defend his decision to abruptly fire FBI Director James Comey: his longtime celebrity nemesis Rosie O’Donnell.
“We finally agree on something Rosie,” the president tweeted, linking to an all-caps “FIRE COMEY” tweet the actress and former talk show host posted last December.
We finally agree on something Rosie. https://t.co/BSP5F3PgbZ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2017
O’Donnell had been reacting to further revelations about the FBI director’s surprise October message to Congress about the discovery of new emails that might be linked to the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email server.
Though the bureau said the cache of emails contained no new information, that announcement came just two days before the election.
And many of Clinton’s supporters have charged that Comey’s unusual message — and resurfacing of the issue about Clintons emails less than two weeks before the election — may have swayed voters against the Democrat.
– FIRE COMEY
— ROSIE (@Rosie) December 20, 2016
O’Donnell has had a long-standing and very public feud with Trump, who even referenced the entertainer during two of the presidential debates.
During a GOP primary debate, Fox News anchor and debate moderator Megyn Kelly noted that the real estate mogul had “called women you don’t like fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals.” But Trump interjected, “Only Rosie O’Donnell.”
He renewed his attacks on O’Donnell during a September debate with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. “Hillary is hitting me with tremendous commercials,” Trump said towards the end of the debate. “Some of it said in entertainment, some of it said by somebody who’s been very vicious to me, Rosie O’Donnell. I said very tough things to her and I think everybody would agree that she deserves it and nobody feels sorry for her.
Last December, O’Donnell apologized after posting an item on Twitter suggesting that the president’s younggest son, Barron Trump, might have autism.
“I apologize to @MELANIATRUMP – i was insensitive in my RT – i am sorry for the pain i caused – it was not my intent – i am truly sorry,” O’Donnell wrote, CBS reported.