On The View, co-host Whoopi Goldberg took aim at Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) for blaming Democrats’ rhetoric for the latest attempted attack on former President Donald Trump. Vance and Trump have claimed that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are responsible for the alleged assassination attempt, despite the would-be shooter having no clear political ideology.
The shooter, who voted for Trump in 2016, Biden in 2020, and supported Republicans Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy in 2024, did not fit the narrative Vance tried to push. “J.D., clearly you have not been to one of your boss’ rallies,” Goldberg fired back. “I mean, he has been inciting violence since 2016, telling them to beat up hecklers, threaten to shoot looters and migrants.”
Goldberg then pointed out that neither former Presidents Bill Clinton nor Barack Obama blamed Republicans when gunmen attacked the White House during their presidencies. “You have to really take a look in a mirror to see the reflection,” Goldberg demanded of Vance. “So, quit blaming folks until you decide to take a look at what’s coming out of your mouth.”
Fellow co-host Sunny Hostin argued for a clearer distinction between rhetoric and facts in political discussions. “It is fine for you to say Donald Trump’s plan is not a conceptual plan, it’s ‘Project 2025,'” she explained. “That is not rhetoric. If you say something like Donald Trump started the insurrection, that is not rhetoric.
That is just a fact. If you say Donald Trump is an election denier, Donald Trump is a convicted felon. Donald Trump is a twice-impeached loser. That is not rhetoric.” Sara Haines echoed Hostin’s sentiments, saying the conversation should focus on the difference between “fake news versus truth you’re uncomfortable with.”
Goldberg wrapped up the segment by emphasizing that the blame game doesn’t work. “Let’s stop this both-sides stuff because it’s not correct,” she insisted. “It is not both sides. It is one clear side, and you can point to many, many reports, you can point to all kinds of stuff that’s been reported. You have to pull it back. This is not us or them.
This is you got to stop doing what you’re doing, J.D., and what you’re doing Mr. T., because you’re not helping the situation.” The segment highlighted The View‘s strong rebuke of Vance and Trump, calling for accountability and a shift away from inflammatory rhetoric.