Latest news with #MAGA-backing
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ABC bosses urged The View to tone down its Trump-bashing. But are Whoopi & Co. listening?
In the days since it was reported that the top executives at ABC News and its parent company Disney urged The View to tone down its politics, the largely Trump-bashing hosts of the daytime talk show have only grown more strident with their rhetoric. At times, it's even seemed like the show's panelists — specifically long-running moderator Whoopi Goldberg and outspoken Never Trumper Ana Navarro — have made a point of defying the corporate request to pull back on their politically charged commentary. 'You know, people always want us to be respectful and do the things and talk about the stuff we talk about. We can do all of that,' Goldberg exclaimed last Thursday, holding up a pocket Constitution while condemning the president for accepting a luxury jet from Qatar. 'But when you are blatantly giving the country the middle finger, that is blatant,' she added. 'You're not supposed to do that!' Navarro, who recently spoke to Disney chief Bob Iger about the show's political tone and coverage, wasted no time going after Trump this week after returning from the Memorial Day break. 'If Joe Biden said that, we'd be talking about his cognitive skills and cognitive decline for days,' she said after the show aired a clip of Trump flubbing the word 'cryptologic' during a recent speech. 'You know, he calls the way he speaks the weave, I call the thing on his head the weave.' That was just one small blip, meanwhile, in a lengthy opening segment on Tuesday that focused intently on Trump using his Memorial Day speech and soxcial media post to attack and slam his political rivals. And much as she did on a few days prior, Goldberg appeared to deliver a not-so-subtle message to the C-suite about the editorial direction of the show. 'Whatever it is, it's on us. We have work to do,' she proclaimed to applause from the in-studio audience. 'We have to get out and make sure we put the balance back into this country.' Meanwhile, Wednesday's broadcast represented the third straight episode in which The View kicked off with a lengthy segment tearing into Trump and his administration, this time over the president issuing a pardon to reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley. The MAGA-backing couple, whose daughter spoke at the Republican National Convention, were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022 for defrauding community banks of $30 million in fraudulent loans. And at the end of the A-block on the show, Goldberg once again waved around her pocket Constitution while chastising the Trump White House, all while suggesting it is a moral imperative that the show call out the actions of this president. 'When you want to know 'does this pass the smell test,' all you've got to do is check it out here. See, because there are things you don't do in America that we — the Constitution says it. It's not us saying it. It's saying we don't do this in America,' she exclaimed. 'I get that your whole family has figured out a way to make money from the country. I get it. OK. That's what you do,' Goldberg continued. 'That's what you've always done. What I don't like is that you get pi**y with other people doing the same thing. Either it's not good for everybody, or it's good for everybody. Somebody make up their mind!' The Independent has reached out to ABC News for comment. The impassioned anti-Trump screeds, of course, are nothing new on this show. In fact, it has become a feature for the better part of a decade, even when Joe Biden occupied the White House for four years. Additionally, the past week's new shows have continued the basic format that has been in place in recent months. While the show typically leads off with a 'Hot Topic' centered on political news, the rest of the program tends to feature a variety of other issues that the panel tackles. For instance, on Wednesday's telecast, the Chrisley segment was followed by discussions centering on drama with a Real Housewives cast member and Gen Z taking 'adulting' classes, alongside interviews with Julianne Moore and Ashley Tisdale. However, with Trump back in the White House, and Disney welcoming him back into office by paying him $15 million to settle his lawsuit over Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos' inaccurate on-air assertion that Trump had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll, the media landscape has suddenly shifted. Now, the massive conglomerates and mega-billionaires who control the legacy media have shown their willingness to cozy up and capitulate to a temperamental commander-in-chief who has made attacking the free press a hallmark of his new administration. It is within this current environment that ABC News chief Almin Karamehmedovic and Disney boss Bob Iger asked the outspoken hosts of The View, which Trump and his allies have long complained about, to tone down the political tenor of the show and lean more into general interest coverage and celebrity interviews. 'The move was not framed as an edict, one source said, but the suggestion alone rankled the hosts,' the Daily Beast reported about the meeting Karamehmedovic had with the show's stars and executive producer, which featured him pointing out the celebrity guest who drew high ratings. 'The group pushed back forcefully, with hosts like Navarro noting the show's audience routinely seeks out its perspective on politics, especially when the administration's radical attempts to upend the government can potentially affect their daily lives,' the Beast added. A source familiar with the matter told The Independent that the network 'constantly has conversations with talent based on viewer feedback, and this instance was no different,' adding that the meeting was merely 'about balance in the show on topics' and not necessarily 'talking about Trump.' While the meeting wasn't framed as an edict, and the hosts reportedly found Karamehmedovic's request to tamp down the politics 'silly' since it would 'look kind of bad' to their audience, the issue remained a sticking point for Navarro. She would eventually broach the subject with Iger, whom she ran into during Disney's recent upfront advertiser presentation. After Navarro thanked him for allowing the hosts to continue to do 'their job in a politically turbulent environment,' the Beast reported, Iger said that while he does support The View, he 'reaffirmed that the show needed to tone down its political rhetoric.' The conversation with Navarro revealed that the 'suggestion to tone down the politics went all the way to the top.' And though the corporate effort to tamp down the political coverage could very well be nothing more than an attempt to find the right balance for a talk show to broaden its viewership, it is impossible not to view it through the lens of the current administration's war against the media – which includes ABC. Despite Disney's settlement on the Stephanopulos interview, the president has continued to rail against the news network. Earlier this month, he fumed at an 'ABC fake news' reporter for grilling him on the luxury jet that the Qatari royal family gifted him. 'Let me tell you, you should be embarrassed asking that question,' he growled. Days later, he would threaten to sue ABC News over the way the network has reported on the $400 million jumbo jet from Qatar, wondering why Iger doesn't 'do something about ABC Fake News' while referencing his previous defamation suit against the network. Trump is also in talks to settle a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS News over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, even though legal experts have called the complaint frivolous and the network itself says it is 'completely without merit.' However, because the network's corporate parent Paramount is looking to complete a mega-merger with Skydance that it needs the administration to approve, Paramount chair Shari Redstone has urged the board to settle with Trump to push the deal through. The potential payment to Trump has resulted in the resignations of CBS News chief Wendy McMahon and 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who made it clear they would not apologize as part of any settlement.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Brian Kilmeade clashes with his Fox & Friends co-hosts while reminding them ‘Putin is the bad guy'
Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade butted heads with his MAGA-backing colleagues on Tuesday over the Trump administration's handling of the Ukraine war, repeatedly reminding them that 'Vladimir Putin is the bad guy' and not Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. Though a longtime and loyal supporter of Donald Trump, Kilmeade has also been a harsh and vocal critic of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, placing the entirety of blame for the three-year war on the Kremlin. Even as many within the right-wing media ecosphere have expressed sympathy for Putin while demanding that the United States stop aiding Ukraine in its fight, Kilmeade has remained steadfast in his pro-Ukrainian stance. In recent days, the Fox & Friends star has made it abundantly clear that he is breaking from Trump on Ukraine. Following the explosive White House clash that saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance raging against Zelensky, the president decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine because he wanted Zelensky 'committed' to a goal of peace with Russia. In response to that Monday evening move, which Ukrainian officials said could impact the frontlines within days and gives the appearance that America is 'siding with Russia,' Kilmeade took to social media to take a veiled shot at the president. 'Can we all remember [Putin] is the bad guy—they invaded—they kidnap kids,' Kilmeade tweeted. 'Whatever happens—Ukraine can not lose—eastern Europe will be next.' During Tuesday's broadcast of Trump's favorite morning cable news show, Kilmeade continued to hammer that point home while also taking issue with his co-hosts unequivocally backing the president's pivot towards Russia in the war. Specifically, he was put off by the suggestion that the United States could further punish Ukraine if Zelensky doesn't apologize to Trump over the White House clash. 'Mr. Zelenskyy is probably thinking, if I don't apologize, what's in it for me? One of the things that is being overlooked – that a close advisor to the president could actually impact – is the Starlink internet,' co-host Steve Doocy said. 'That's Elon Musk. If Elon Musk wants to send a message, all he's got to do is say, 'I'm gonna pull the plug on that.' Because they've got tens of thousands of terminals over there right now.' Kilmeade, who was broadcasting remotely while the rest of the crew was in the studio, accused his colleagues of siding with Putin over Ukraine. 'Keep in mind what you guys are saying,' he declared. 'You are saying Zelenskyy is worse than Putin.' After Doocy and the other hosts denied that was the case, Kilmeade continued to heap criticism on them for suggesting that the U.S. could further threaten Zelensky to force him to agree to terms with Russia. 'You're saying we should starve Starlink,' Kilmeade exclaimed. 'You'd have to take Starlink from our allies in order to get them to do an economic deal or get them to the table?' He went on to assert that Europe is concerned about Ukraine falling to Russia because they believe all of Eastern Europe will soon become infiltrated, resulting in the reformation of the Soviet Union. While he credited Trump with forcing European leaders to 'step up' and further commit to supporting Ukraine following the president's blowup with Zelensky, he reiterated that there is only one true antagonist in the war. 'And Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. Zelensky might not be leader of choice, but he is Ukrainians' leader of choice,' he flatly stated, prompting co-host Lawrence Jones to fire back. 'Brian, everybody knows Putin is the bad guy. We don't need to virtue signal every single day and say Putin is the bad guy,' Jones huffed before referencing the scuttled mineral rights deal with Ukraine. 'But just saying he's the bad guy doesn't end the war. What ends the war is Zelensky partnering with the United States from an economic standpoint, that is his security guarantee. And he won't do this! He won't even let us get to Putin!' Seemingly parroting Trump talking points, co-host Ainsley Earhardt further groused that Zelensky 'used to be so grateful' but has become 'disrespectful' to the US even though 'we have given three times more than Europe.' This false claim has been repeated by Trump countless times, despite the fact that European countries have committed over twice as much aid to Ukraine as the United States – and allocated more already to the war-torn country. Saying he didn't think that Zelensky 'forgets' all the assistance America has given Ukraine, Kilmeade added that the 'off-the-rails' White House exchange likely 'wasn't a bad moment' for Trump and it will probably 'play in a loop everyday' in the Trump presidential library. Still, he wanted his colleagues to think about the larger implications of the ideas they were floating. 'In the big picture, realize if you deny Starlink to your ally, then you are not only not providing weapons, you are letting maybe Kyiv fall,' he concluded. 'That is not what anybody wants.' Meanwhile, Earhardt insisted that 'nobody wants World War III' and that 'Trump would step in to prevent that' if that was a possibility.
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The Independent
04-03-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Brian Kilmeade clashes with his Fox & Friends co-hosts while reminding them ‘Putin is the bad guy'
Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade butted heads with his MAGA-backing colleagues on Tuesday over the Trump administration's handling of the Ukraine war, repeatedly reminding them that 'Vladimir Putin is the bad guy' and not Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky. Though a longtime and loyal supporter of Donald Trump, Kilmeade has also been a harsh and vocal critic of Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, placing the entirety of blame for the three-year war on the Kremlin. Even as many within the right-wing media ecosphere have expressed sympathy for Putin while demanding that the United States stop aiding Ukraine in its fight, Kilmeade has remained steadfast in his pro-Ukrainian stance. In recent days, the Fox & Friends star has made it abundantly clear that he is breaking from Trump on Ukraine. Following the explosive White House clash that saw Trump and Vice President JD Vance raging against Zelensky, the president decided to suspend all military aid to Ukraine because he wanted Zelensky 'committed' to a goal of peace with Russia. In response to that Monday evening move, which Ukrainian officials said could impact the frontlines within days and gives the appearance that America is 'siding with Russia,' Kilmeade took to social media to take a veiled shot at the president. 'Can we all remember [Putin] is the bad guy—they invaded—they kidnap kids,' Kilmeade tweeted. 'Whatever happens—Ukraine can not lose—eastern Europe will be next.' During Tuesday's broadcast of Trump's favorite morning cable news show, Kilmeade continued to hammer that point home while also taking issue with his co-hosts unequivocally backing the president's pivot towards Russia in the war. Specifically, he was put off by the suggestion that the United States could further punish Ukraine if Zelensky doesn't apologize to Trump over the White House clash. 'Mr. Zelenskyy is probably thinking, if I don't apologize, what's in it for me? One of the things that is being overlooked – that a close advisor to the president could actually impact – is the Starlink internet,' co-host Steve Doocy said. 'That's Elon Musk. If Elon Musk wants to send a message, all he's got to do is say, 'I'm gonna pull the plug on that.' Because they've got tens of thousands of terminals over there right now.' Kilmeade, who was broadcasting remotely while the rest of the crew was in the studio, accused his colleagues of siding with Putin over Ukraine. 'Keep in mind what you guys are saying,' he declared. 'You are saying Zelenskyy is worse than Putin.' After Doocy and the other hosts denied that was the case, Kilmeade continued to heap criticism on them for suggesting that the U.S. could further threaten Zelensky to force him to agree to terms with Russia. 'You're saying we should starve Starlink,' Kilmeade exclaimed. 'You'd have to take Starlink from our allies in order to get them to do an economic deal or get them to the table?' He went on to assert that Europe is concerned about Ukraine falling to Russia because they believe all of Eastern Europe will soon become infiltrated, resulting in the reformation of the Soviet Union. While he credited Trump with forcing European leaders to 'step up' and further commit to supporting Ukraine following the president's blowup with Zelensky, he reiterated that there is only one true antagonist in the war. 'And Vladimir Putin is the bad guy. Zelensky might not be leader of choice, but he is Ukrainians' leader of choice,' he flatly stated, prompting co-host Lawrence Jones to fire back. 'Brian, everybody knows Putin is the bad guy. We don't need to virtue signal every single day and say Putin is the bad guy,' Jones huffed before referencing the scuttled mineral rights deal with Ukraine. 'But just saying he's the bad guy doesn't end the war. What ends the war is Zelensky partnering with the United States from an economic standpoint, that is his security guarantee. And he won't do this! He won't even let us get to Putin!' Seemingly parroting Trump talking points, co-host Ainsley Earhardt further groused that Zelensky 'used to be so grateful' but has become 'disrespectful' to the US even though 'we have given three times more than Europe.' This false claim has been repeated by Trump countless times, despite the fact that European countries have committed over twice as much aid to Ukraine as the United States – and allocated more already to the war-torn country. Saying he didn't think that Zelensky 'forgets' all the assistance America has given Ukraine, Kilmeade added that the 'off-the-rails' White House exchange likely 'wasn't a bad moment' for Trump and it will probably 'play in a loop everyday' in the Trump presidential library. Still, he wanted his colleagues to think about the larger implications of the ideas they were floating. 'In the big picture, realize if you deny Starlink to your ally, then you are not only not providing weapons, you are letting maybe Kyiv fall,' he concluded. 'That is not what anybody wants.' Meanwhile, Earhardt insisted that 'nobody wants World War III' and that 'Trump would step in to prevent that' if that was a possibility.
