Goldberg’s remarks came during a discussion about the power dynamic of specific figures within the incoming Trump administration, such as Vice President-elect JD Vance and Elon Musk, who Trump tapped to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E.). “Who is in charge? Because I’ve been saying it for a while. I’ve been saying it—I think Elon Musk believes he’s president. I do,” Goldberg said on ABC News’ “The View” earlier this week.
She 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.” The co-host then made a joke suggesting that Musk and Vance may collude against Trump. Goldberg then stated, “Hey, you know who [Trump]; stay away from the stairways. Because, you know, people put their leg out to trip you going down the stairs. Watch out,” she explained.
However, after a commercial break, Whoopi made a clarifying statement about her quip, claiming she was referring to her cat. “Okay, I need to clean something up, because my cat lays in wait for me on my stairs all the time, and that’s what I was I was thinking of that I wasn’t trying to indicate that they were actually standing there with their legs out, hoping he would trip.”
Sunny Hostin weighed in, “Nobody wants anything bad to happen to the president.” Goldberg said, “No, it was light-hearted, and it’s the holidays. Come on! My goodness.” Hostin chimed in, “You did not mean that anybody should hurt the president.” Goldberg continued, “No, okay, you know the thing about this show, there is no way not to step in poop. There’s no way to do it. There’s no way not to do it. So, for all of you who are waiting and saying oh my God, listen to what you said, I got a cat who does it to me every day. And that’s what sparked it.”
Regardless of her “clean up” statement, her joke sparked a reaction from conservatives on social media. Commentator Nicholas Fondacaro wrote, “ABC News moderators Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar claim Elon Musk and JD Vance are planning to kill Trump and usurp control of the government together as Musk/Vance.
“[Trump] stay away from the stairways.” – Whoopi.”
Conservative CNN pundit Scott Jennings also weighed in on the matter, questioning why Goldberg didn’t question who has been running the White House under the Biden administration. “Who is in charge?” Whoopi wonders aloud about Trump, on the day that the WSJ reveals Biden has been “diminished” for the last four years and unelected staff have been running the country,” Jennings said.
Watch the clip below:
