It’s ‘sad’ that a US president is facing indictment, Whoopi Goldberg told The View

Whoopi Goldberg used The View’s roundtable on Tuesday to lament how “sad” it was for a former president to face a criminal trial before Donald Trump was indicted on 34 criminal counts.

Goldberg, 67,’s criticism of the media motorcade as a “circus,” sparked a heated debate with the wayward comment, which came as the all-female panel was watching the unfolding situation just a few blocks from where they were seated.

Less than three hours later — as reporters and supporters alike flocked to Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue to catch a glimpse of the former president — Trump exited the building to roaring applause, offering a fist pump to the audience.

Trump’s motorcade then made its way to the Big Apple DA’s office downtown, where he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.

Describing the day as a “sad” day for America, Goldberg—whose opinions often put her at odds with her fellow panelists—noted how embarrassed Americans felt in light of the day’s events.

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‘How do you feel about a historic day?’ Saddened by the attention Trump’s accusations have received, Goldberg said.

Almost immediately, the statement angered other commentators, including longtime showrunner Joy Behar.

Sunny Hostin — who in the past has received backlash for pushing her progressive views on the more moderate Goldberg and Alyssa Farrah Griffin during tapings — also appears to have been reinstated, before dropping the president’s 34-count indictment over a 2016 silent payment that was ” Unprecedented ”. “

But Behar, who at 80 is the oldest employee in the long-running program, seemed visibly more surprised than her colleagues, and began pressing fellow veteran View to see what she really meant.

“That’s not sad. What’s sad?,” she asked. “Well, I’m sad, because (he’s) an American president,” Goldberg replied.

The clarification then won tentative approval from Behar, who admitted: “Oh, that’s sad.”

Goldberg took the opportunity to make her point about the ongoing situation.

Well, that’s what I say. she said, before Behar interrupted her again.

“But the fact that he was called in for questioning, etc. and he was charged is because he committed certain crimes,” Behar insisted, just hours before Trump was booked and fingerprinted in federal court.

“It’s not sad, this is American justice.”

At that point, Houston, who was a prominent attorney before launching her career as a media personality in 2016, stepped in, pointing to Trump’s presumed innocence given the many checks and balances in the American justice system.

“Or he claims to have committed crimes because he is entitled to,” she said, stressing the legal term. “It must be proven.”

Goldberg responded by trying to return to her initial point.

“But again, it’s America’s first — the first time in any of our lives right now,” she asserted. “And I don’t think any of us can really imagine that.”

“I fancied it,” Hostin then smirked before being met with a rousing round of laughter from the studio audience in response.

“With him, yeah,” Goldberg admitted. “(But) I mean, with other people… I would never reason with other presidents.”

Hostin, in apparent agreement, pointed to Trump’s more progressive predecessor: “Yeah, I would never think President Obama would do something like that.”

Goldberg added, “Even with Bush. I mean, we also got angry with Bush. I don’t think anybody thinks that’s the direction we’re going to go.”

However, Houston disagreed – pointing to the actions of another – and also impeached – president, Richard Nixon.

Citing the infamous Watergate scandal and how it could have led to the then president being impeached but instead forced to be impeached, Hostin said:

Farrah Griffin — a former Trump aide who briefly served as a strategic communications assistant and former president in 2020 — chimed in, saying, “But even so, he had the urge to quit. You know, get out of the game.

But Behar, apparently unfazed, protested: ‘Well, you know why?’ Because the Republicans turned against him. for this reason.

If the Republican Party in this country did the right thing, we wouldn’t be in this situation. He could have been isolated in the first place.

Citing her history with Trump, Farrah Griffin was quick to add that her former employer was likely “up-and-coming” given the ongoing fraud pressure and the inevitable prospect of his arrest.

“There have been a bunch of reports that Trump likes this and is making money from it, reportedly $8 million,” said Farrah Griffin, who resigned from her position in the White House in 2020 after nearly three years.

But I know him well enough to know he doesn’t like this. It’s rising.

He’s someone who, despite his horrible deeds, thinks about the legacy and how he’s viewed and his life now, you’ll think, whether his obituary is going to say, you know, he was impeached, America’s first president.

Currently, his team is also panicking about a potential gag order from the judge, which would prevent him from speaking about what happened. And that’s what he wants.

He wants to go out and frame this in his own way and win over the audience. It may not be possible to happen.

Referring to the crowd seen next outside Trump’s downtown residence, Goldberg — who was suspended last year after making comments that shed light on the Holocaust — said to the sniper: “The circus is here. The circus has come to town.

She added that she did not use Trump’s name: “The media frenzy continues as, you know, she heads to a New York court to become the first president ever to be tried on criminal charges.”

He is expected to plead not guilty. The judge prevented cameras from broadcasting the session.

Along with fellow hosts Hostin, 54, Farrah Griffin, 33, Behar, and Sara Haines, 45, Goldberg pointed to the hypocrisy of attention the supposed federal investigation has received since it was announced last month.

“But we will let the paparazzi into the courtroom before things start,” she said.

Journalists will be allowed on a first come, first serve basis. Apparently, they’ve been lining up since last month.

Meanwhile, Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records brought against him, after becoming the first US president to be tried and charged with a crime.

The photos show the 76-year-old – who recently announced his candidacy for president – sitting alongside his defense team in a Manhattan courtroom with a stone face.

His indictment is currently under way.