In a fiery exchange on American television, former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway has courted controversy by advising lesbian comedian and activist Rosie O'Donnell to find a husband. The remark came during a discussion about O'Donnell's persistent criticism of Donald Trump.
A Heated Exchange on 'The Five'
The incident unfolded on Tuesday's edition of the Fox News talk show The Five. The panel, including Conway, was reacting to a TikTok video posted by O'Donnell on Saturday, 27 December. In that video, O'Donnell launched a fresh tirade against the former president, labelling him 'a blob' and demanding he be removed from office.
Conway, a 58-year-old pollster and former senior counsellor to President Trump, responded pointedly. 'Don’t you have anybody who loves you?' she questioned, before adding: 'You need a hug or a husband or a hairy dog. Get yourself some help.'
She dismissed O'Donnell's criticism, retorting that it was 'a slob calling someone else a blob', and suggested the comedian's move to Ireland earlier this year had not helped her 'move on' from her fixation with Trump.
The Personal and Political Backstory
Conway's comments carried layers of personal significance. She remarked that she 'lives with Trump Derangement Syndrome', a seeming reference to her own family. Her ex-husband, lawyer George Conway, and her influencer daughter, Claudia Conway, have both been publicly critical of Trump and conservative politics.
Notably, Claudia Conway, like Rosie O'Donnell, is an outspoken lesbian. Kellyanne Conway has previously expressed full support for her daughter's sexuality. Claudia came out to followers on TikTok in 2022, praising her mother's acceptance.
Rosie O'Donnell, 63, publicly came out as gay in 2002 and has been a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. She was married to Kelli Carpenter from 2004 and later to Michelle Rounds in 2012, before their split in February 2015. She is currently single and lives in Ireland with her daughter, Dakota.
From Critic to Counsellor: Conway's Political Journey
The exchange highlights Conway's own complex political evolution. Before joining Trump's 2016 campaign as a senior advisor, she was a prominent pollster and media pundit. In 2015, she served as a strategist for a pro-Ted Cruz PAC, which at the time criticised Trump's views as 'extreme' and 'not conservative'.
Conway herself once labelled Trump 'a man who seems to be offending his way to the nomination'. She later served as a counsellor to the president for nearly four years before joining Fox News as a contributor in 2022. Her marriage to George Conway ended in divorce in 2023 after two decades.
Conway concluded her remarks on the show by suggesting that a relentless focus on Trump is a losing strategy, stating: 'A lot of Democrats don’t like it. They feel like they’re gonna get beat in 2028 if their only message is “Trump, Trump, Trump.”'
