Is media backing off criticism of US government? ABC tells The View to dial down Trump attacks

The hosts of The View have never shied away from criticising US President Donald Trump , but the Western Journal reports that ABC bosses have had enough and want things toned down.

The hosts of The View have never shied away from criticising US President Donald Trump, but the Western Journal reports that ABC bosses have had enough and want things toned down.

According to a report from The Daily Beast, top executives at ABC News and even Disney ’s CEO Bob Iger are urging the talk show’s hosts to cut back on their anti-Trump rhetoric. The move comes as the network looks to shift the show’s focus and appeal to a broader audience.

Almin Karamehmedovic, the president of ABC News, reportedly held a meeting with The View’s executive producer Brian Teta and the show's hosts, Whoopi Goldberg , Joy Behar , Sara Haines , Ana Navarro , Sunny Hostin , and Alyssa Farah Griffin, to deliver the message.

“Disney CEO Bob Iger and other executives have reportedly asked the co-hosts of "The View" to turn down their heated political rhetoric”

I get that these people have their core TDS afflicted viewers

But honestly, how is this a show that turns a profit for the network? pic.twitter.com/RqQFW1VGqR

— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) May 23, 2025

The report says Karamehmedovic suggested the show balance its political discussions with lighter content, pointing to recent successful episodes that featured celebrity guests. Sources told The Daily Beast that both Karamehmedovic and Iger were “perturbed” or concerned by the show’s approach and encouraged the team to broaden their themes.

However, the suggestion didn’t go down well. The hosts “pushed back forcefully” on the feedback and were reportedly unimpressed by the idea of limiting political commentary . One source told the outlet the women felt this would be a bad look. “This is what our audience wants. Isn’t it gonna look kind of bad if we’re all of a sudden not talking about politics?”

Ana Navarro is said to have spoken out strongly, insisting that viewers tune in specifically for their political commentary. The co-hosts reportedly dismissed the feedback from leadership as “silly” and made it clear they intended to “keep doing their thing.”

Navarro also reportedly had a direct exchange with Disney’s Bob Iger at a recent event for advertisers. While Iger reiterated his support for The View, he did express agreement that the show could benefit from pulling back on the political edge.

Navarro thanked him for allowing the show to continue amid a tense political climate.

One source said, “ABC leadership will constantly have conversations with talent based on viewer feedback, and this instance was no different,” suggesting that it’s not just executives, but viewers too, who may want the show to be less political.

The View vs Trump

The View has continued its critical stance on Donald Trump. In a recent episode, Whoopi Goldberg condemned Trump's promotion of the unfounded "white genocide" conspiracy theory regarding South Africa, stating, "There’s no white genocide, OK? There’s not a genocide happening. There is crime, as there is all over the world, but it’s not about killing off white people. This is just straight [expletive]" .

Additionally, Goldberg criticised Trump's acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar, arguing that it violated the U.S. Constitution's emoluments clause. She emphasised this point by holding up a copy of the Constitution during the broadcast . Co-host Joy Behar supported this view, suggesting that Trump's actions demonstrate a disregard for legal norms.