OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The hosts of ABC’s “The View” were required to deliver another on-air legal note during Thursday’s broadcast after suggesting that having a history of sexual assault allegations was a prerequisite for a position in President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet.
The co-hosts specifically criticized former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who withdrew his name from consideration for Attorney General shortly after the segment aired, and Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. However, they later clarified that while both men have been investigated, they have consistently denied any wrongdoing, and neither has ever been charged.
“Sexual misconduct allegations seem not to matter anymore,” Whoopi Goldberg kicked off the conversation, adding, “Seems like unless you have a sexual misconduct allegation, you can’t be in the cabinet. That’s what it’s looking like, because I mean, was it 11 people and maybe one of the 11 doesn’t have something going on?”
“It’s like, oh, let’s see, who’s accused of sexual assault? Put them in the cabinet!” co-host Joy Behar quipped, adding, “And they’re like, ‘Pick me! Pick me!’”
WATCH:
Sara Haines claims Trump’s national agenda is for going easy on sexual assault and sex offenders:
“I would encourage them to separate sexual assault and sexual offenders from their MAGA agenda or you’re telling me this is part of your agenda.” pic.twitter.com/eNYolcSpwB— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) November 21, 2024
Co-host Sara Haines stated that keeping individuals with such accusations close would lead to an agenda that included being lenient toward those accused of sexual misconduct.
“I would encourage them to separate sexual assault and sexual offenders from their MAGA agenda or you’re telling me this is part of your agenda,” she said.
Behar and co-host Sunny Hostin then shifted the discussion to express frustration that the FBI had ceased investigating the allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after multiple background checks found no evidence and the complaining witness failed to provide credible support for the accusations.
Joy Behar is still pushing the debunked allegations against Justice Kavanaugh.
She and Sunny Hostin whine that the FBI stopped investigating when they didn’t find any evidence of the claims, which were totally fabricated. pic.twitter.com/8zAPcTI52G— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) November 21, 2024
At that point, Hostin was required to deliver another legal note live on air, reading in a monotone the statements from Gaetz and attorneys for Hegseth, both of whom denied any wrongdoing and emphasized that they had never been charged.
“Just call the show ‘Legal Note,’” from now on, Behar joked as they ended the segment.
Earlier this week, Hostin deleted her X account following Trump’s presidential election win, saying she believes it was a “patriotic” act.
During an interview on the “Behind The Table” podcast, Hostin said she no longer wants to be associated with the social media website because it’s owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk.
“I think the most patriotic thing I could do right now is just to delete the account. Elon Musk took it over and I feel like he ruined it. Black Twitter was a thing that I loved and it was sort of replaced… with misogyny and racism. I don’t want to be affiliated with anything that he owns. I’m not going to buy a Tesla, I’m not going to buy Tesla stock,” Hostin said.
Last week, when Hostin blamed Trump’s victory on “uneducated white women” and Latino men, she was mocked on the social media platform.
“I think [Trump’s victory] had nothing to do with policy, I think this was a referendum on cultural resentment in this country,” she stated during the episode of “The View” recorded the morning after election day.
“Why do you think uneducated white women voting against their reproductive health freedoms, and why do you think Latino men voted in favor of someone who is going to deport a majority of his community,” the co-host asked Rick Klein, ABC political news director.
“I don’t think white women like being called uneducated white women,” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin snapped back.
Later, Hostin corrected herself, stating that “non-college-educated white women” was the correct term to use.