Whoopi Goldberg has never shied away from expressing her discontent with President Donald Trump’s approach to governance.
On a previous episode of “The View”, the host accused him of trying to turn the country into a live reality show. The conversation about Trump’s tactics came during a discussion with ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl.
During the segment, Goldberg argued that Trump treats the presidency like television casting rather than public service, responding to Karl’s suggestion that Trump might enjoy auditioning potential successors the way he assessed contestants on “The Apprentice.”
“I don’t know if I want to play that game,” Goldberg stated in criticism of the president on the Oct. 28 episode of the daytime talk show.
Karl, who appeared on the show to promote his new book, “Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign That Changed America, discussed the likelihood of Trump running for a third term in 2028, noting that Trump’s need to protect his political legacy could complicate the attention given to potential successors.
“The minute he makes it clear he’s not gonna try and run again, then all the attention goes. He’s a lame duck president, then all of the attention goes to Marco Rubio, JD Vance, whoever else might be running,” Karl explained of the potential “spiral” of influence last month.
“I’m sure he’d love to do The Apprentice thing and see who [will succeed him]. But at some point, does he really pass the baton and he’s no longer the center of attention? I don’t know how he does that.”
Karl also revealed that he has heard whispers that Trump told associates he plans to be “leaving at the end of this,” hinting that his political career may be winding down. He added that Trump’s efforts in foreign policy, his policies, and even the renovations to the White House were part of the legacy he wants remembered during his presidency.
With those claims in mind, Goldberg expressed concern that the presidency is being framed as a television drama driven by ratings rather than a constitutional responsibility.
“Well, that’s our president. That’s our president, y’all. And so everything that’s happening in Europe and everything that’s happening outside of here seems to be what he’s all about,” Goldberg said. “And he wants to make the U.S. ‘The Apprentice.’”
Attempting to find a hopeful angle in the discussion, Goldberg asked Karl what Trump’s “endgame” might be.
The reporter answered with speculation: “He is thinking now, more than he ever did — I don’t think he thought much about it in the first term — about his place in history and his legacy and he sees it in different terms than what you’re defining.”
Goldberg’s “Apprentice” comparison aligns with her long-running pattern of criticism of Trump and his administration. She has previously accused him of seeking “total control” and urged him to “get [his] behind in gear” during earlier shutdown fights.
Most recently, the host clashed with the administration’s narrative when she and fellow host Sunny Hostin dissected Trump’s contradictory claims about pardoning Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao.
Hostin pointed out how much the Trump family has “profited from the government” as he’s criticized Joe Biden, claiming that the former president “didn’t know who he was pardoning using an autopen.”
She questioned Trump’s lack of awareness about the pardon, asking, “How come he don’t know who this guy is?” Goldberg jokingly responded, “Because he used an autopen.”
'THE VIEW' CO-HOSTS CLAP BACK AT TRUMP'S ATTACKS: After the former president ranted at his rallies about our interview with Vice Pres. Harris and made claims about his professional past with our Whoopi Goldberg, #TheView co-hosts respond. pic.twitter.com/tG4z0S8an8
— The View (@TheView) October 10, 2024
While the joke landed with the audience, producers stopped the segment in mid-production to hand Goldberg a note attempting to fact-check her, claiming they weren’t sure if Trump used an autopen.
“What the hell? What?” Goldberg asked when Hostin passed her the blue card. She then read the correction aloud: “We don’t know if Trump used an autopen to pardon.” Visibly frustrated, she shouted, “It was a joke!” She ripped up the note before adding, “The hardest thing about this job now is no one understands nuance.”
“You know when you hear a joke, when somebody is fooling around, when they’re not saying something specific. Especially on this show!” Goldberg exclaimed. “I’m very specific when I’m when I’m pointing stuff out. When I’m making jokes, you know, when I’m making jokes. This is ridiculous.”
