Rosie O’Donnell Confirms Move to Ireland, Will Return to U.S. ‘When It’s Safe for All Citizens to Have Equal Rights’

The comedian previously seemed to hint that she had moved abroad in a selfie as she joked about driving on the “wrong side of the road”

Rosie O’Donnell attends ‘Center Theatre Group presents the opening night performance of ‘A Transparent Musical’. Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Rosie O’Donnell has confirmed that she is no longer living in the U.S.

In a TikTok video posted on Tuesday, March 11, the comedian confirmed she had moved to Ireland on Jan. 15 with her 12-year-old daughter Dakota, four days after she seemingly teased that she was living abroad in an Instagram post.

“It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful,” O’Donnell said in the TikTok video as she revealed her international move.

She said that she’s “in the process” of getting Irish citizenship as her grandparents hail from the country, before expanding on the reasoning behind her move.

“I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child. And here we are,” she said.

“You know, I’m happy. Clay is happy. I miss my other kids. I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home and I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back,” she said.

She continued her video by seemingly referencing changes made in the country since President Donald Trump was inaugurated on Jan. 20: “It’s been heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well. The personal is political, as we all know.”

PEOPLE has reached out to O’Donnell’s rep for comment.

O’Donnell said that everyone in Dublin, where she’s currently living, has been “friendly.” She also said she’s “met a bunch of people” in the nearly two months since she moved, but felt a need to share the news with her fans as she was “sorry for those of you who were worried and who missed me.”

“I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through. And now as we’re getting settled, I was ready to post this and to tell everybody what’s been going on,” she said.

Rosie O’Donnell shares a selfie driving on the “wrong side of the road”.Rosie O’Donnell/Instagram

As she concluded the nine-minute video, O’Donnell shared a message with her fans. “Protect your sanity is all I can say. Protect your sanity as much as you can, and try not to swim in the chaos if possible, but I know it’s nearly impossible when you’re there in the middle of it.”

She continued, “And I think about everyone every day and the United States of America. And I am hoping that we can turn things around, counting on you, all of you, to do what’s right. And I think deep down inside, we all know what that is.

O’Donnell’s confirmation of her move to Ireland comes after she hinted at the move in a series of Instagram posts on March 7. She shared a selfie from a car and wrote in the caption that she’d “bought a little used car to tool around the countryside on the wrong side of the road.”

She also shared a photo of her daughter Dakota in the backseat of a car with her backpack beside her on the way to school, which further hinted at a move.