A December 19, 2024 episode of ABC’s “The View” sparked immediate backlash when Whoopi Goldberg made remarks that critics interpreted as threatening toward President-elect Donald Trump.
The incident unfolded during a segment examining Elon Musk’s expanding political influence and a failed bipartisan spending bill. Joy Behar suggested that Vice President-elect JD Vance and Musk conspired against Trump, prompting Goldberg to interject with a warning.
“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,” Goldberg stated.
Following a commercial break, the co-host walked back her statement, explaining that her comments referred to her cat’s behavior on stairs rather than implying any threat to the president-elect.
On December 22, Trump responded to suggestions that he had “ceded the presidency” to Musk, pointing to constitutional requirements that prevent foreign-born citizens from holding the office.
The fracas emerged against the backdrop of Musk’s unprecedented involvement in Trump’s transition. Trump tapped Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), charging them with identifying $500 billion in “unauthorized” or “misused” spending. Musk, a frequent guest at Mar-a-Lago, has joined discussions with world leaders and weighed in on staffing decisions. Critics warn of potential conflicts of interest, as Musk’s businesses hold billions in federal contracts.
The spending legislation central to the debate on “The View” contained provisions that could have limited Musk’s operations in China. Using his social media platform, Musk pressured House Republicans to oppose the bill, which ultimately collapsed.
Since acquiring the social media platform X in 2022, Musk’s influence has grown dramatically. His posts often reach twice the audience of Trump’s, allowing him to shape policy and cabinet selections for the incoming administration. His political action committee is preparing to fund challengers to House members opposing Trump’s nominees in Republican primaries. Recent filings revealed Musk’s $200 million donation to a pro-Trump super PAC and $20 million to a group claiming that Trump would not sign a national abortion ban.
This latest controversy adds to a pattern of disputes involving “The View” and Trump. The show issued four legal notes during a single November 2024 episode after making unverified claims about Trump’s cabinet picks, including Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.
In July 2022, the show retracted claims made by Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar that protesters at a Turning Point USA event were “invited” by the organization. After the conservative group sent a cease-and-desist letter, Sara Haines clarified on-air, “We want to make clear that these demonstrators were gathered on public property, not on the conference grounds.”