…“Hollywood elites who’ve been out of touch with real Americans for decades.”
The firestorm erupted during Monday’s episode of The View, when longtime host Whoopi Goldberg made a jaw-dropping statement during a heated segment on women’s rights and civil liberties. Referring to recent political tensions and culture wars in the U.S., Goldberg said:
“Honestly, some days it feels like living in America isn’t all that different from living in Iran.”
The comment sent shockwaves across political circles and social media platforms, with critics blasting the comparison as both ignorant and deeply offensive. Among the loudest voices of outrage was White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who didn’t mince words at Tuesday’s press briefing.
“Whoopi Goldberg’s comments are not just irresponsible — they’re delusional,” Leavitt said, visibly fuming. “To equate the freedoms Americans enjoy every day with a regime that stones women and jails journalists is beyond comprehension.”
Leavitt went further, directly calling on ABC and The View to take swift action.
“It’s time for The View to part ways with Whoopi Goldberg. She’s not a political commentator — she’s an activist drunk on Hollywood privilege, protected by liberal elites who have no clue what everyday Americans face. Enough is enough.”
Supporters of Leavitt praised her for taking a hard stance against what they see as a pattern of unchecked rhetoric on daytime television. Critics, however, accused her of trying to censor dissenting voices and distract from the administration’s controversies.
Goldberg, for her part, has not yet responded publicly to the backlash, but sources close to the show say producers are in “emergency discussions” about how to handle the fallout. It’s not the first time Goldberg has come under fire — and if the past is any indication, it likely won’t be the last.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the cultural divide in America isn’t cooling down anytime soon — and daytime TV just became another battleground.