Whoopi Goldberg under fire for joking about Elon Musk and JD Vance tripping Trump 'down the stairs'
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Whoopi Goldberg stirred up a storm during the December 19 episode of 'The View' when she made an off-hand joke about President-elect Donald Trump.
The comment, which veered into hypothetical territory about Trump’s safety, involved the unlikely duo of incoming Vice President JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk.
Whoopi Goldberg takes aim at Elon Musk's political influence
The conversation began with Whoopi Goldberg’s critique of Elon Musk’s growing political influence, an issue that has drawn significant attention in recent weeks.
Last month, Goldberg, 69, remarked that Musk seemed to wield more power than the vice president himself, insinuating that Trump’s second-in-command was not Vance, but Musk.
“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 stated.
Her pointed observation about Musk’s role in shaping policy decisions set the stage for her now-controversial remark.
Then came the punchline that left viewers and her co-hosts momentarily stunned. Referencing Trump, she added, “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.”
Viewer's immediate reaction and attempted damage control
The live studio audience reacted with a mix of laughter and applause, while Whoopi Goldberg’s co-hosts exchanged glances, visibly aware of the controversy brewing.
The conversation about Musk’s influence continued until the commercial break, but Goldberg was quick to address her comments when the show returned.
“I need to clean something up,” Goldberg began, attempting to diffuse the situation. “My cat lays in wait for me on my stairs all the time. That’s what I was referring to. 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.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin jumped in to support Goldberg, adding, “Nobody wants anything done to the president.”
Goldberg affirmed this sentiment, insisting that her comments were meant to be lighthearted. “It was lighthearted and it’s the holidays, c’mon! My goodness.”
She then attempted to explain the origin of her remark once more. “The thing about this show, there’s no way not to step in poo. There’s no way to do it. There’s no way not to do it. I got a cat who does it to me every day, and that’s what sparked it.”
Political context of Whoopi Goldberg’s controversial remarks adds fuel to the fire
Whoopi Goldberg’s controversial remarks coincided with heated debates in Washington over a bipartisan spending bill designed to avert a government shutdown.
The bill, penned by House Speaker Mike Johnson, faced backlash from Trump and Musk, both of whom criticized its provisions.
Trump called the bill “a betrayal of our country,” while Musk falsely claimed it included $3 billion in funding for a new stadium in Washington and new aid for Ukraine.
Senator Bernie Sanders also weighed in, sarcastically dubbing Musk as “President Elon Musk” in a scathing social media post.
“Democrats and Republicans spent months negotiating a bipartisan agreement to fund our government,” Sanders wrote.
“The richest man on Earth, President Elon Musk, doesn’t like it. Will Republicans kiss the ring? Billionaires must not be allowed to run our government.”
Meanwhile, House Republicans reportedly scrambled to revise the 1,547-page spending plan to extend government funding to March, amid criticism over provisions that included disaster relief for Hurricane Helene and pay raises for Congress members.
Social media reacts to Whoopi Goldberg's comment
Online reactions were quick and intense after Whoopi Goldberg made controversial comments suggesting that Elon Musk and JD Vance might be scheming against Trump, per Daily Mail.
One fan chimed in, "She needs to be careful making jokes like this with the two attempts on Trump’s life that have occurred."
Another said, "They keep talking about "hypothetical" Trump assassinations,but the intent is to keep the idea alive in the minds of the nutcases. These media people are part of the problem. This is intentional."
Someone else noted, "Whoopi is the host of 'The View', not a comedian! This type of rhetoric against the President will get her a visit she won't like. It probably won't be funny then!!"
A follower remarked, "Democrats are desperate to start a rift between Trump and Musk and Vance too if they can. They don't want them to get anything done even if it would benefit legal law abiding American citizens."
One comment declared, "Only an evil person would make a statement like that. Get over it Whoopie your "used to be friend" will be the 47th President. I guess if he had originally ran for President in 2016 on the other side she would have no problem with him."
Another observed, "She has lost it."
As one person explained, "She should be investigated and questioned over a statement like that. The average person would be taken in already."
"This is Criminal. Trump won't stand for this. Whoopi Goldberg needs mental Health Institutions NOW. If The View is okay with this than SUE THEM," another comment read.
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