Wynonna Judd is shocked that her longtime friend Rosie O’Donnell publicly called her a supporter of President Donald Trump.
During an Aug. 11 episode of "The Tangle with Kyle Ridley" podcast, O'Donnell said that Judd is the only exception to her rule of keeping supporters of the president out of her orbit.
In an interview with People published Friday, Oct. 2, the Grammy-winning country musician reacted to O’Donnell's remarks, saying "I’m in shock, just so you know."
"I’ve never spoken to her about politics in my life. She doesn’t know anything about my stuff. I’m an independent," Judd told the outlet.
The "No One Else on Earth" singer explained that she has purposely avoided discussing politics and that she is "not angry" at O'Donnell but rather
simply confused, saying she had no idea where the claim came from.
"It’s complete assumption," she said "I don’t ever remember talking to her about this, so she’s just assuming. I just don’t want drama. So if there’s going to be drama, I’m like, 'Oh for crap’s sake, there’s so much going on right now in the world. Can we just love each other?'"
USA TODAY has reached out to O'Donnell's representatives for comment.
Rosie O’Donnell says 'I apologize if I was wrong'
In a statement to People, O'Donnell said her assumption came after Judd performed at Trump's Florida residence in November 2023.
"I just thought as she has performed at Mar-a-Lago that she was [a Trump supporter]. I apologize if I was wrong," she said in the statement.
During her August appearance on the podcast, O'Donnell said she is friends with Judd who she loves "very much" but they have stayed clear from the topic of Trump.
"I’ve known her for many, many years. And she is a supporter of Trump. And somehow we never bring it up,” O'Donnell told host Kyle Ridley. "I kind of give her a grace in a way. She’s had so much in her life, with her mom taking her own life, and just the complicated nature of her upbringing. And I really love her and I care about her and for some reason I’m able to put that aside when we interact."
Judd and O'Donnell's friendship goes way back, with the singer previously making frequent appearances on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" during the talk show's run.
Rosie O'Donnell calls Trump her 'arch nemesis'
O'Donnell and Trump's rivalry has a long unpleasant history dating back to 2006.
Trump has repeatedly suggested he would revoke O'Donnell's citizenship, including in a July 2025 Truth Social post where he said the comedian is "not in the best interests of our Great Country."
"She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" Trump wrote.
In a July 2026 interview with People, she described her decades-long quarrel with Trump as "20 years of him using me as a punchline."
When Trump began his second presidency in January 2025, O'Donnell announced she moved to Ireland to escape the United States' political climate.
On July 2, the president posted an AI-generated video where he appears as a doctor "treating" several celebrities, including O'Donnell, for "Trump Derangement Syndrome," the term Trump uses to describe critics he sees as irrationally opposed to him.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wynonna Judd 'in shock' after Rosie O’Donnell calls her a Trump supporter
