The ABC talk show “The View” is attracting attention once again due to controversial statements made by co-host Whoopi Goldberg about President-elect Donald Trump. The comments were made during a discussion on December 19, 2024, about Elon Musk’s increasing political sway.
The show’s hosts were engaged in a heated debate over a failed bipartisan spending bill when Goldberg began questioning the power dynamics in Washington, specifically focusing on Musk’s influence on Trump’s policies. Co-host Joy Behar then proposed that Vice President-elect JD Vance and Musk were conspiring against Trump, creating a stir.
The controversy escalated when Goldberg made a statement interpreted by critics as threatening. She said, “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, stating that they were a reference to her cat’s behavior on stairs and not an insinuation of harm toward the president-elect.
On December 22, Trump dismissed suggestions that he had “ceded the presidency” to Musk. He cited constitutional rules that prevent foreign-born citizens from holding the office.
The debate comes amidst Musk’s growing involvement in Trump’s transition. Musk, a regular visitor at Mar-a-Lago, has been part of discussions with world leaders and has influenced staffing decisions. Trump appointed Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy as co-chairs of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a department tasked with identifying $500 billion in “unauthorized” or “misused” spending. Critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given that Musk’s businesses have billions in federal contracts.
The spending bill that sparked the debate included measures that could have restricted Musk’s operations in China. Musk leveraged his social media platform to persuade House Republicans to reject the bill, leading to its defeat.
Musk’s political action committee is set to play a substantial role in Republican primaries, funding challengers to House members who oppose Trump’s nominees. Recent filings revealed Musk’s $200 million donation to a pro-Trump super PAC and a $20 million contribution to a group arguing that Trump would not sign a national abortion ban.
“The View” has encountered several controversies linked to Trump. In November 2024, the show issued four legal statements in one episode after making unverified claims about Trump’s cabinet selections, including Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.
In July 2022, the show retracted statements made by Sunny Hostin and Joy Behar that protesters at a Turning Point USA event were “invited” by the organization. Following a cease-and-desist letter from the conservative group, Sara Haines clarified on-air, “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, Elon Musk’s influence has grown exponentially. His posts often reach twice the audience of Trump’s, allowing him to influence policy and cabinet choices for the incoming administration.
