Disney CEO Drops Trump Bombshell On Ladies of ‘The View’

Disney’s CEO Bob Iger and the president of ABC News, Almin Karamehmedovic, have urged the hosts of the politically progressive daytime talk show “The View” to moderate their political discussions, particularly their regular criticisms of President Donald Trump.

The relocation has created underlying tension within the program, which is recognized for its candid panel that directly addresses political issues, as reported by the New York Post.

The Post disclosed that Brian Teta, the executive producer of “The View,” engaged in discussions with the show’s staff regarding the need to “go easy” on commentary related to Trump in the days preceding the inauguration on January 20, which resulted in tension during the broadcast.

The directive was issued following the requirement for co-hosts to present four “legal notes” or disclaimers during a program in November, where they addressed allegations against several of Trump’s cabinet nominees.

An individual acquainted with the situation informed The Post on Thursday that ABC executives “regularly engage in discussions with talent regarding viewer feedback, and this case was no exception.”

As stated by the source, “The View” is a program that presents opinions, featuring co-hosts who are paid to express their views on various topics, such as politics.

As per the source, the co-hosts of “The View” were urged by their superiors to create a “balance of the show” and a “balance of the topics,” without any modifications specific to “Trump.”

The source indicated that on Thursday, “The View” intended to discuss Trump and his statements made during the South African president’s visit to the Oval Office, in addition to the Pentagon’s recent announcement regarding its acceptance of a luxury aircraft from Qatar, which will serve as a future Air Force One.

Since Trump’s reentry into the White House after the 2024 election, the co-hosts of “The View”—Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Ana Navarro—have consistently offered their insights regarding the policies and rhetoric of the administration.

However, senior Disney executives, such as Iger and Karamehmedovic, seem to be making efforts to alter the tone of the show.

Karamehmedovic has seemingly just had a meeting with the hosts and Teta to suggest a broader, less politically charged agenda.

As reported by two sources cited by the Daily Beast, he urged them to concentrate more on celebrity interviews and lifestyle segments, emphasizing that such episodes resonate well with the audience. Although Karamehmedovic’s suggestion was not framed as a directive, it reportedly was not well received by the panel.

As per a source knowledgeable about the conversation, the hosts, particularly Navarro, resisted, asserting that audiences desire “The View” to provide robust political analysis, particularly in a perilous political environment.

“This is what our audience desires,” the source remarked, summarizing the group’s feedback. “Wouldn’t it appear somewhat unfavorable if we suddenly ceased discussing politics?”

Notwithstanding the effort, the hosts have primarily chosen to continue “doing their thing,” as stated by the source.

Internal conflicts emerge as Disney faces increased pressure from Trump and numerous allies across different sectors.

In December, Disney consented to a settlement of $16 million, which comprises $15 million allocated for Trump’s presidential library and $1 million designated for legal fees, following a lawsuit filed by the former president regarding an interview with ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos.

The host inaccurately described a civil ruling against Trump as a conviction for rape instead of sexual assault.

Trump is additionally filing a lawsuit against CBS and its parent organization, Paramount Global, seeking $20 billion in damages due to a “60 Minutes” interview featuring Kamala Harris, who was the Vice President at that time.

Although CBS has characterized the action as lacking merit, the company has commenced mediation discussions to avert complications with its ongoing merger with Skydance Media.

The consequences of the dispute have already led to the resignation of Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” as well as Wendy McMahon, the President of CBS News.