Donald Trump And Roseanne Barr's Relationship, Explained

At first glance, Donald Trump and Roseanne Barr seem like an unlikely pairing. But dig a little deeper, and their connection feels almost inevitable. Both come from the world of television and have built careers by stirring up controversy. Their shared political beliefs and disregard for polite conventions have made them natural allies in a political landscape that thrives on spectacle.

Their first public interaction dates back to 2016, during Trump's presidential run. Barr, a sharp critic of Hillary Clinton, mused to The Hollywood Reporter that "we would be so lucky if Trump won. Because then it wouldn't be Hillary." While she later clarified she wasn't endorsing him, her comments set the tone for their ongoing connection.

Between public scandals, cancellations, and various other problematic incidents, both Barr and Trump are no stranger to the limelight. Below we take a closer look at how their relationship evolved and when things started to go wrong for the former TV stars turned political lightning rods.

Understanding Roseanne Barr's journey is essential to grasping her alignment with Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. In fact, Barr was previously known for her progressive views and even ran for president in 2012 as the Green Party candidate. This marked a pivotal transition from TV star to political figure, a path Donald Trump would follow a few years later. While they ran during different years, they both campaigned on similar populist ideologies.

Barr's primary motivation at the time was to shake up the traditional two-party political establishment, a sentiment that aligns with Trump's "drain the swamp" rhetoric. "Both the Democratic and Republican parties are bought and paid for by corporate America and cater to the needs of the highest bidder as opposed to the people they claim to represent," she stated in her Green Party questionnaire. "I cannot be bought."

Barr ultimately failed to secure the Green Party nomination and continued her campaign as the Peace and Freedom Party's presidential candidate. She garnered only 0.05% of the popular vote, with Barack Obama winning reelection (via the FEC). However, this campaign set the stage for her eventual support for Trump in 2016, where her critiques of the political establishment found a new audience.

In 2017, ABC ordered the revival of "Roseanne," and its release made a big splash in the television landscape. This was partly due to Roseanne Barr's decision to revamp her character, Roseanne Conner, as a vocal Trump supporter, mirroring her own political beliefs. This creative decision removed any doubts regarding her admiration for Donald Trump and MAGA politics.

The pilot episode features Roseanne Conner arguing with her sister, who voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016. When The New York Times asked her about this creative choice, Barr explained that she wanted to depict "families torn apart by the election [...] and how we handle it." She was also adamant that the Trump-supporting character was an "accurate portrayal" of the modern-day, working-class American family.

The pilot episode struck a chord with audiences, particularly Trump supporters, who saw their lived experiences mirrored in Barr's struggles and opinions. The premiere was a massive success, drawing in over 18 million viewers (via ABC News). As reported by Politico, Trump also caught wind of this, referencing the show during a public rally and exclaiming, "Look at Roseanne — I called her yesterday — look at her ratings, look at her ratings!"

Trump claimed the show's success as a victory for his political movement. The show's triumph, fueled by its political angle, became another talking point in the former president's ongoing conversation about the media and its portrayal of his presidency. Nevertheless, the show was ultimately canceled following the conclusion of its 1st season after Barr made racist comments on social media.

Like Donald Trump, Roseanne Barr is no stranger to posting her controversial opinions to X, formerly known as Twitter. But in May 2018, the social media platform became the catalyst for her downfall. As reported by The New York Times, Barr posted a racist tweet targeting Valerie Jarrett, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama. In the now-deleted post, Barr claimed that Jarrett would be the result if the "Muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby." She quickly deleted the tweet and later apologized, claiming that "it was two in the morning and I was Ambien tweeting." But the damage was done.

The backlash was swift, and so was ABC's response. Within hours, the network canceled "Roseanne" and released a statement calling Barr's remarks "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values." While Barr essentially dismantled her career overnight, President Trump seized the opportunity to deflect from the racist tweet and attack the media.

Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that "ABC does not tolerate comments like those" made by Roseanne Barr. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 30, 2018

Instead of condemning Barr's comments, he chose to attack ABC leadership for what he considered unfair media coverage of his presidency. By reframing the situation as an example of cancel culture, Trump used the controversy to further his ongoing "fake news" narrative. This allowed him to downplay the seriousness of Barr's comment while positioning the incident as yet another attack on his supporters, turning it into fuel for his political rallies.

As older TV personalities, Donald Trump and Roseanne Barr have relied heavily on X, formerly Twitter, to amplify their controversial opinions. They've used the platform as a battleground to promote extreme views that resonated with the fringes of the Republican Party. Even before her show's cancellation, Barr had a long history of engaging with conspiracy theories and spreading misinformation. In 2018, The Washington Post reported on her influence over online right-wing communities who rallied around her promotion of baseless conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate — the false claim that a child sex-trafficking ring was run out of a Washington D.C. pizzeria. She also publicly supported conspiratorial claims surrounding the death of Democratic staffer Seth Rich in 2016.

Donald Trump has also famously dabbled in conspiracy theories, particularly those that discredit his political opponents. From the baseless citizenship claims about President Barack Obama to calling for a do-over of the 2020 election, Trump is accused of using these theories to sow distrust and galvanize his base. For both figures, X became a crucial tool in rallying their most fervent supporters, and many allege that they use the platform to spread misinformation under the guise of free speech.

Despite the backlash, Roseanne Barr remains an unwavering supporter of Donald Trump. In the lead-up to the 2024 election, she continued to endorse the former president and aligned herself with the MAGA political movement. At a 2024 event with Tucker Carlson, Barr made headlines (once again) for her comments about election fraud. As reported by the Independent, she claimed that the Democrats "overthrew the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America. And then they covered it up with their January 6th b*******. With their insurrection!" Her remarks highlight her ongoing promotion of debunked claims perpetuated by Trump following his departure from the White House.

In May 2024, Barr shared a video of Trump autographing a pistol for her. In the clip, he praises the comedian, saying, "We love you, Roseanne," and urges her to "keep fighting." This gesture underscores Trump's admiration of Barr's anti-establishment ideologies that deeply resonate with his MAGA audience. 

I believe our forefathers (and foremothers) envisioned this very moment when they wrote the Second Amendment. Can't wait for my Trump gun! pic.twitter.com/XbRXec0mog

— Roseanne Barr (@therealroseanne) May 20, 2024

During Barr's appearance on Carlson's live show, she reiterated how her deep admiration for Trump has grown since her first public endorsement. ​​"I love him more now than I ever loved him," she admitted, "and I loved him pretty damn good."