Kathy Griffin Doubled Down On Controversial Anti-Trump Moment That Left Barron Disturbed
Kathy Griffin has never been afraid to be an iconoclast. In 2017, however, the comedian found herself embroiled in a controversy the likes of which she'd never seen before after an anti-Donald Trump photoshoot she took part in not only went viral, but also reportedly disturbed the president's son, Barron Trump. It all started when the outspoken star shared a pic of herself holding a mask designed to look like the divisive politician's bloody, severed head. The backlash was swift and immediate, with the reality star not only losing a CNN gig, but also Griffin's friendship with Anderson Cooper. The comedian later shared that she had been subjected to death threats, and had travel restrictions placed on her too.
Trump himself — who was a few months into his first term at the time — responded to Griffin's photo on social media, noting that a then-11-year-old Barron was particularly upset by it. At the time, TMZ even reported that the first son initially believed the image was real. Citing Trump family sources, the outlet claimed that he "panicked and screamed" for mother Melania Trump, with whom Barron has a super close relationship.
Amid the initial backlash, Griffin issued an apology, acknowledging that the photo crossed the line. Later that year, however, she rescinded it after several more months of living under the Trump administration. "Stop acting like my little picture is more important than talking about the actual atrocities that the president of the United States is committing," the comedian raged during an appearance on morning show "Sunrise" (via Fox40). And since then, she's doubled down on several occasions.
Kathy Griffin continued to be a harsh Trump critic
In June 2017, Kathy Griffin made it abundantly clear that though she initially apologized for her controversial Donald Trump photo, by no means was she done criticizing the former "Apprentice" host. "I am not afraid of Donald Trump. He's a bully," Griffin stated at a press conference (via Variety), during which she also insinuated that Trump was the one behind her loss of professional opportunities across the board. In fact, after the comedian took her apology back that August, it wasn't long before the gloves came off again. Griffin re-shared the photo that kickstarted the drama on social media in November 2020. More specifically, she posted it on the night of the presidential election between Trump and Joe Biden, which the Democrat ultimately won by a wide margin.
After the controversial politician ultimately won a second term in November 2024, Griffin didn't just double down on her controversial Trump moment — she lampooned his friends, as well. In March 2025, two months into the Republican's second term, a TikTok user specializing in rug art posted a video featuring pieces depicting the severed heads of several wealthy, powerful men associated with Trump, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and the president himself. The video was set to the song "The Guillotine" by The Coup, effectively referencing the French Revolution.
The user included a disclaimer in the caption that they were simply exercising their First Amendment rights, and that it was not meant to advocate real-life violence. At any rate, Griffin made a stitch with the original video, adding a clip of herself giving an approving glance at the artwork before smiling and nodding.
@kathygriffin #stitch with @beansmachinestudio For the first time ever...no comment.