Wynonna Judd has pushed back against Rosie O'Donnell's claim that she is a supporter of Donald Trump, saying she was 'in shock' to hear the comedian describe her that way.
In a recent interview with People, the country singer said she had never discussed politics with O'Donnell and described herself as an independent. O'Donnell later said that she had assumed Judd supported Trump because the singer had performed at Mar-a-Lago in 2023, adding: 'I apologize if I was wrong.'
The exchange does not establish whether Judd has supported or voted for Trump. Instead, it documents a disagreement between the longtime friends over O'Donnell's characterisation of Judd's political views.
Wynonna Judd Responds to Rosie O'Donnell's MAGA Rumours
O'Donnell made the remark during an appearance on The Tangle with Kyle Ridley podcast in August 2026, saying she had 'known her for many, many years' and that Judd was a Trump supporter, though the pair never brought it up. 'I give her a grace in a way,' O'Donnell said at the time, pointing to Judd's 'complicated nature of her upbringing.'
Judd agreed that the two had never discussed politics, but said O'Donnell's characterisation was '100 percent' an assumption. 'I don't know where it came [from]. It's complete assumption,' she told People.
'I heard it, and I went, 'What the...?' I don't ever remember talking to her about this, so she's just assuming.'
Judd, 62, told People she was 'in shock' to hear the claim, adding, 'I've never spoken to her about politics in my life. She doesn't know anything about my stuff. I'm an independent.'
In a statement, O'Donnell explained her reasoning and offered an apology. '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.
The Mar-a-Lago Performance Behind O'Donnell's Assumption
O'Donnell told People that her assumption about Judd's political views came from the singer's performance at Mar-a-Lago in November 2023. Judd performed at an event associated with the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), which describes itself as a nonprofit research institute and identifies itself on its policy-campaign page as a conservative think tank.
MeidasTouch reported that former president Donald Trump attended the event and that Judd did not publicly promote her appearance on her social media accounts. However, the performance itself does not establish Judd's voting record or prove that she supports Trump.
Judd also has a documented history of working with officials from Trump's first administration on criminal justice reform. In 2019, she met with White House officials, including Brooke Rollins, over prison re-entry and criminal justice issues.
Judd's involvement was connected to her advocacy work and should not, by itself, be treated as evidence of a political endorsement.
O'Donnell, 64, a long-standing critic of Trump, said at the time that Judd was the only person in her life to whom she extended 'grace' for supporting the president. 'Aside from Wy, I can't think of anyone else in my life who supports him, and I don't understand the people who do,' she said on the podcast.
'His criminal behavior is so obvious. His misogyny, his racism, his homophobia. He's just a very dark spirit, and I don't know why that's not obvious to the world.'
Judd told People she generally avoids political conversations and was 'not angry' with O'Donnell, but puzzled by the assumption. 'I just don't want drama,' she said. 'Oh for c—p's sake, there's so much going on right now in the world. Can we just love each other?'
The five-time Grammy winner has not publicly disclosed her voting record in the 2016, 2020 or 2024 elections.
