Kathy Griffin Can’t Escape Confrontation From MAGA 8 Years After Trump Halloween Scandal: ‘Very Triggering’

Some things time can soften, but that's not the case for Kathy Griffin, whose infamous photo of a severed Donald Trump still casts a long shadow.

In 2017, the "Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List" star posted a picture holding a Halloween mask resembling Trump covered in blood.

The fallout was immediate and devastating. Griffin lost deals and endured years of online attacks. But has anything changed since then? Griffin reveals.

At Out Magazine's Out100 recent party, the stand-up star reflected on how her views on life and her career have changed eight years after the intense backlash. 

She explained that she no longer expects people to change, admitting she spent years believing she could shift people's views. Surprisingly, she has even made friends with some Trumpers, emphasizing that being around people with different opinions is important.

However, that does not spare her from the photo scandal still rearing its ugly head. "And then there are some Trumpers that find me very triggering because of the Trump head picture," the comedian told People Magazine. "So I still am confronted about that photo to this day and complimented about that photo. But I get both."

At the same time, Griffin admitted she remains unapologetically outspoken. She described herself as "fearless," adding that while many are afraid to take a stand, she refuses to stay silent.

Honored as Advocate of the Year, the 65-year-old warned that the current administration poses serious threats to LGBTQ+ rights, including efforts to revive conversion therapy practices.

Griffin's acknowledgment of ongoing hate comes eight months after she cried out for help against a man who was disturbing her about Trump. 

As The Blast reported, the TV personality explained on Instagram that the individual had been following her on the Dume trail during her trip in Malibu, approaching her with a camera and pressing her with questions about the U.S. leader.

Griffin posted a photo of the man and asked her followers if they could identify him. She added that the man sometimes stalks her using a pickup truck and that she has started bringing her large dog along for protection.

Despite still dealing with the long-term fallout from the photo, Griffin has remained vocal.

After the administration canceled 669 NIH grants worth over $800 million, including programs supporting LGBTQ+ health research, Griffin spoke out again.

She called on gay and trans people to stay politically active, and urged the community to keep marching and speaking up as Pride Month approached.

The comedian warned that LGBTQ+ citizens face serious challenges and might one day lose the freedom to walk safely in public.

"Please protest every day. Don't stop. This administration will do anything to hurt the LGBTQ+ community," she said, per The Blast.

With the controversy still lingering, Griffin has even joked about what Trump might do to her now that he's back in office.

Just days before the commander-in-chief was sworn in, The Blast reported that Griffin teased that he might send her to an internment camp.

"I was on the no-fly list, and the Interpol list, and now he's gonna be president again, and I'm on the enemies list, so come see me before I'm in one of those internment camps," she said.

Yet despite everything, the Bravo star insists on remaining outspoken even as she fears retaliation. "I've been through the mill," she said, adding that Trump still mentions her name whenever he can.

While she can't change the backlash, one thing Griffin has charge over is her appearance, and she has been open about the enhancements she has made.

In August, The Blast reported that Griffin revealed she has undergone three facelifts, explaining that people often commented on how tight her face looked.

Having always cared about her appearance, she added that she also had work done on her chin and eyelids, crediting her surgeon, Dr. Ben Talei, for what she called the "perfect facelift."

Griffin didn't sugarcoat the recovery process either, admitting it was far from easy. "I'm gonna be honest — it's painful," she said. "So when people say it's like getting a tooth filled, that's not true. It hurts."