White House Reportedly Moves to Cancel ‘The View’ After Explosive On-Air Trump-Obama Comment Sparks Backlash at the Highest Level. Is This the Start of a New War on TV?

On July 23, 2025, a firestorm erupted when Joy Behar, co-host of ABC’s The View, ignited controversy with a scathing remark about President Donald Trump’s alleged jealousy of former President Barack Obama. The comment, made during a heated discussion on the show, prompted a swift and ominous response from the White House, with spokesperson Taylor Rogers warning that The View could be “the next to be pulled off air.” This threat, reported by outlets like Variety and The New York Daily News, has sparked speculation about a White House-led campaign against critical media, raising alarms about freedom of speech and the future of television. Is this the beginning of a broader war on TV?

The controversy began when Trump, during a July 22 press interaction, accused Obama of “treason” and attempting to “lead a coup” against him in 2016. These claims, part of a broader pattern of Trump reviving old grievances, were met with a sharp rebuttal from Obama’s spokesperson, Patrick Rodenbush, who called them “outrageous” and a “weak attempt at distraction.” On the following day’s episode of The View, Behar seized on Trump’s remarks, declaring, “The thing about him is he’s so jealous of Obama, because Obama is everything that he is not: trim, smart, handsome, happily married, and can sing Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ better than Al Green.” She also referenced the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection, pointedly noting, “Who tried to overthrow the government? That was not Obama.”

Behar’s comments, echoed by co-hosts like Sunny Hostin, who suggested Obama sue Trump, struck a nerve. The White House responded with a statement to Entertainment Weekly, calling Behar an “irrelevant loser suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome” and claiming The View’s ratings were at a historic low. The statement’s chilling warning—that Behar should “self-reflect” before her show is canceled—has been widely interpreted as a direct threat.

The White House’s reaction comes amid heightened tensions with late-night and daytime talk shows. Just days prior, CBS announced the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, set to end in May 2026. While CBS cited financial reasons, noting a $40 million annual loss, critics like Behar and Hostin suggested political motivations, pointing to Colbert’s anti-Trump stance and a recent $16 million settlement with Trump over a 60 Minutes edit. Trump’s subsequent boasts about targeting other shows, including Jimmy Kimmel’s, amplified fears of a broader crackdown.

The View, a daytime staple since 1997, has long been a lightning rod for conservative criticism due to its outspoken hosts, including Behar and Whoopi Goldberg. The show’s ratings, however, tell a different story. A spokesperson for The View told Entertainment Weekly that the show is up in total viewers and women aged 18-49, ranking as the top daytime talk show for five consecutive seasons. Despite this, the White House’s claim of “historic low” ratings has fueled speculation about external pressures on ABC.

The backlash was swift. On X, users expressed outrage, with some calling the White House’s statement an attack on free speech. One post warned of a return to “pirate radio stations” if networks bow to pressure, while others accused Trump of targeting critical voices. Supporters of the administration, however, cheered the move, with one X user labeling Behar’s comments a “tirade” and praising Trump’s “historic popularity.” These sentiments, while reflective of public division, remain inconclusive without verified evidence.

Industry figures have also weighed in. Piers Morgan suggested The View’s cancellation in light of Trump’s influence, while Jimmy Kimmel responded cryptically on Instagram, referencing a 2003 letter Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein. The HuffPost warned that the threat against The View follows a pattern, noting FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s dismissal of Colbert’s cancellation critics as “DNC spokespeople.” Carr, a Trump appointee, has raised concerns about his role in media mergers, such as Paramount’s pending deal with Skydance, which some link to Colbert’s exit.

The White House’s warning has sparked fears of a chilling effect on media. The View’s hosts have a history of critiquing Trump, from his policies to personal conduct, making them a prime target. The administration’s aggressive rhetoric, coupled with recent moves like the DOJ’s release of files on Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, suggests a strategy to deflect from controversies, including Trump’s Epstein ties. Obama’s team has framed these actions as distractions, a view Behar echoed on air.

Legal experts argue that direct government intervention to cancel a show would violate First Amendment protections. However, indirect pressures, such as influencing network decisions through regulatory bodies like the FCC, are harder to prove. The Paramount-Skydance merger, requiring FCC approval, has fueled speculation that networks may self-censor to avoid retribution. The Daily Beast called the White House’s statement “intimidating,” warning of a broader war on critical media.

The threat against The View raises questions about the future of political discourse on television. Late-night and daytime shows have long served as platforms for satire and commentary, often targeting sitting presidents. Trump’s public attacks on hosts like Colbert, Kimmel, and now Behar suggest a concerted effort to silence critics, a tactic reminiscent of his first term. Obama’s June 2025 call for resistance against autocratic tendencies, made without naming Trump, underscores the stakes, with the former president warning of a government “captured by those with a weak attachment to democracy.”

For The View, the immediate future remains uncertain. ABC has not commented on cancellation rumors, and the show’s strong ratings provide a buffer. However, the White House’s rhetoric could pressure advertisers or network executives, especially amid economic challenges in the media industry. Fans of The View continue to tune in weekdays at 11:00 a.m., but the specter of cancellation looms large.

As the controversy unfolds, The View’s hosts are unlikely to back down. Behar’s call for Obama to sue Trump and Hostin’s warning about the “dismantling of our Constitution” signal their resolve. Meanwhile, the White House’s aggressive stance risks escalating tensions, potentially galvanizing opposition. Whether this marks the start of a new war on TV or a fleeting political spat, the clash underscores the fragile balance between free speech and political power in an increasingly polarized media landscape.