Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of ABC’s “The View,” has recently come under fire for contentious comments she made about President-elect Donald Trump. These remarks, made during a December 19, 2024, segment discussing Elon Musk’s increasing political influence, have reignited scrutiny of the program.
The controversy began during a heated debate over a failed bipartisan spending bill. Goldberg raised questions about the power dynamics in Washington, specifically focusing on Musk’s influence on Trump’s policies. Tensions escalated when co-host Joy Behar suggested a conspiracy between Vice President-elect JD Vance and Musk against Trump.
Goldberg further stirred the pot with a statement that critics perceived as threatening towards Trump: “Hey, you know who [Trump]; stay away from the stairways… Because, you know, people put their leg out to trip you going down the stairs. Watch out.”
Following a commercial break, Goldberg sought to clarify her comments, insisting they were a reference to her cat’s behavior on stairs, not a veiled threat against the president-elect.
On December 22, Trump responded to the claims that he had “ceded the presidency” to Musk, citing constitutional restrictions that prevent foreign-born citizens from holding the office.
This controversy comes amidst Musk’s growing role in Trump’s transition. Musk, a regular visitor at Mar-a-Lago, has been involved in conversations with world leaders and has had a hand in staffing decisions. Trump named Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as co-chairs of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is tasked with identifying $500 billion in “unauthorized” or “misused” spending. However, critics express concern over potential conflicts of interest, given Musk’s businesses’ substantial holdings in federal contracts.
The failed spending bill that sparked the heated debate contained provisions that could have restricted Musk’s operations in China. Musk leveraged his social media influence to persuade House Republicans to reject the bill, resulting in its downfall.
Musk’s political action committee appears set to play a significant role in Republican primaries, funding challengers to House members who oppose Trump’s nominees. Recent filings revealed Musk’s $200 million contribution to a pro-Trump super PAC and a $20 million donation to a group asserting that Trump would not endorse a nationwide abortion ban.
“The View” has a history of controversies connected to Trump. In one November 2024 episode, the program issued four legal notes following the presentation of unverified claims about Trump’s cabinet picks, which included Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.
In July 2022, the show retracted claims made by Sunny Hostin and Behar that protesters at a Turning Point USA event were “invited” by the organization. Sara Haines clarified on-air following a cease-and-desist letter from the conservative group, stating, “We want to make clear that these demonstrators were gathered on public property, not on the conference grounds.”
Since acquiring the social media platform X in 2022, Musk’s influence has dramatically increased. His posts often reach double the audience of Trump’s, enabling him to significantly impact policy and cabinet selections for the incoming administration.