ABC’s “The View” has recently had to read several “legal notes” live on air fact-checking statements made about President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks. Ever since Trump’s landslide win in the election earlier this month, the panel on the daytime talk show has lamented what the next four years holds, offering staunch criticism toward the incoming president’s cabinet appointments.
However, in a few instances, their comments were taken too far, where correction statements were read soon after to avoid legal trouble. A recent clip from “The View” shows co-hosts reading three “legal notes” in under three minutes.
During the segment, co-host Sonny Hostin said, “I have a legal note…Matt Gaetz has long denied all allegations and has not been charged with any crime.” Making another correction, Hostin fact-checked a statement about Trump’s cabinet pick for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth. “Also another legal note, Pete Hegseth’s lawyer said he paid the woman in 2023 to head off the threat of a baseless lawsuit. He has denied any wrongdoing,” Hostin added.
Joy Behar then chimed in, “That’s interesting. Pay off the witness.” The conversation continued for several more minutes where the panel continued with its agenda. However, Sunny Hostin, the usual suspect with the legal notes, had to state yet another correction. This time it pertained to Trump’s selection for attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdrew, Pam Bondi.
“I have another legal note,” Hostin announced. “Both Trump and Pam Bondi have denied allegations of a quid pro quo that his past donation played any role in her office’s decision to not take legal action against Trump University. When she was, of course, the Attorney General of Florida.” This prompted co-host Ana Navarro to joke, “This show is going to be just legal notes and things we’re selling. Behar replied, “That’s why I said we’re not calling the legal note.”
The American Tribune reported on other legal notes that “The View” was forced to read, ostensibly to avoid legal trouble for touting unproven allegations as fact about Trump’s cabinet picks. During another instance, Hostin said, “I have a legal note. Matt Gaetz has long denied all allegations and has not been charged with any crime. Gaetz previously dismissed allegations that he paid for sex saying that, quote, “Someone is trying to re-categorize my generosity to ex-girlfriends as something more untoward.”
The panel had previously slammed the Trump administration, making the absurd suggestion that sexual assault allegations were a perquisite to be selected in president-elect’s cabinet. Co-host Whoopi Goldberg said, “Sexual misconduct allegations seem not to matter anymore.” She added, “Seems like unless you have a sexual misconduct allegation, you can’t be in the cabinet. That’s what it’s looking like, because I mean, was it 11 people and maybe one of the 11 doesn’t have something going on?”
Watch the legal notices below:
Co-host Sarah Haines weighed in, “But one interesting thing was Karoline Leavitt, who’s Trump’s pick for White House press secretary said, ‘He has chosen brilliant and highly-respected outsiders to serve in his administration and he will continue to stand behind them as they fight against all those who seek to derail the MAGA agenda.’ I would encourage them to separate sexual assault and sexual offenders from their MAGA agenda or you’re telling me this is part of your agenda and that’s what’s coming out.”
