In a surprising escalation, the White House has issued a scathing statement against The View co-host Joy Behar, threatening to pursue action that could result in the show being pulled off-air.
The conflict erupted following comments made by Behar during a recent segment on The View, where she criticized President Donald Trump in light of his ongoing attacks against former President Barack Obama. Behar, known for her outspoken political commentary, opined that Trump is “jealous” of Obama, describing the former president as “more fit, smarter, better looking, happily married, and able to sing Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ better than Al Green.”
Shortly after the segment aired, the White House released an exclusive statement to Entertainment Weekly, in what many critics are calling an unprecedented media scrutiny by the White House.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers did not mince words, referring to Behar as an “irrelevant loser suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome.” The statement also accused The View of experiencing “the lowest ratings in years,” a claim promptly disputed by representatives of the long-running ABC daytime program.
Rogers continued, suggesting that Behar’s criticisms are rooted in envy:
“She should self-reflect on her own jealousy of President Trump’s historic popularity—before her show becomes the next to be pulled off-air.”
While the White House stopped short of confirming any formal FCC complaint or legal action, the language of the statement has raised eyebrows in legal and media circles, with many questioning the constitutional implications of a presidential administration threatening the broadcast rights of a media outlet over protected political speech.
A spokesperson for The View responded with a firm rebuttal, citing ratings data and maintaining that the show is thriving:
“The View currently ranks No. 1 in households and total viewers among all daytime talk shows, and has held that position for five consecutive seasons. Our viewership is up, particularly among women 18–49, which is our target demographic.”
Legal analysts have weighed in, noting that while the White House’s statement may not amount to direct censorship, any threat involving revoking a media program’s broadcast platform could trigger First Amendment concerns. The Supreme Court has long protected even offensive or politically charged speech under the freedom of expression clause.
“This is more a political maneuver than a legal threat,” said a constitutional law expert, who added that unless the White House formally files a complaint with the FCC or takes legislative action, its options for shutting down a broadcast program are virtually nonexistent.
The episode highlights the increasingly volatile relationship between government officials and media commentators, especially as the nation barrels toward the 2026 midterms.
With Trump continuing to dominate headlines and The View maintaining its status as a ratings powerhouse, it appears the tension between the two is far from over.
