Whoopi Goldberg, co-host of *The View*, is once again at the center of controversy after making a shockingly inappropriate comment about President-elect Donald Trump during a panel discussion. Goldberg appeared to joke about a conspiracy involving Elon Musk and Senator JD Vance to harm Trump, a comment that quickly drew backlash, especially given the serious nature of two prior assassination attempts against the former president.
The remarks came during a discussion about power dynamics in the upcoming Trump administration. Goldberg, known for her sharp and often inflammatory commentary, speculated about Musk’s outsized influence. “Who is in charge?” Goldberg asked. “I’ve been saying it—I think Elon Musk believes he’s president. I do.” She then added, “I’ve called him vice president, I’ve called him president, because I don’t know what JD is doing. I don’t remember the last time we even talked about JD.”
But it was Goldberg’s next quip that crossed the line for many. “Hey, you know who [Trump]—stay away from the stairways,” she said, implying Musk and Vance might conspire to harm the president-elect. “Because, you know, people put their leg out to trip you going down the stairs. Watch out.”
Footage of the comment spread like wildfire on social media, sparking fierce condemnation from conservatives and Trump supporters. Influential commentator Paul A. Szypula shared the clip on X, writing, “Whoopi Goldberg just joked about Musk and Vance assassinating President Trump by making him fall down the stairs. ABC needs to fire Whoopi. This is unforgivable.”
Another user referenced the recent defamation lawsuit involving Trump and ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos, warning Goldberg to be cautious: “Whoopi better tread lightly with those ‘jokes’—one wrong step and she’ll be writing Trump a $15M check and following Georgie boy out the ABC exit door. Careful, Whoopi… those stairs can be real slippery. 😂”
The backlash underscores the heightened tensions surrounding Trump, who has faced years of vilification from the left and the mainstream media, as well as enduring serious threats to his life. Many viewed Goldberg’s comments as indicative of the lack of respect shown toward the former president and his supporters.
After the show returned from a commercial break, Goldberg attempted damage control. “Okay, I need to clean something up,” she began. “My cat lays in wait for me on my stairs all the time, and that’s what I was thinking of. I wasn’t trying to indicate that they were actually standing there with their legs out, hoping he would trip.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin tried to support Goldberg, insisting, “Nobody wants anything bad to happen to the president.” Goldberg added, “No, it was light-hearted, and it’s the holidays. Come on! My goodness.”
Despite her attempts to clarify, Goldberg’s remarks have left many unconvinced. Critics argue that such “jokes” are far from harmless, especially when aimed at a figure as polarizing as Trump. For now, the controversy adds another chapter to the long list of inflammatory moments from *The View* and raises questions about ABC’s tolerance for rhetoric that many see as crossing a dangerous line.
