Whoopi Goldberg's The View Segment Takes Aim at First Lady's Statement
During Tuesday's broadcast of The View, host Whoopi Goldberg delivered a pointed and theatrical reaction to First Lady Melania Trump's rare public statement regarding the ongoing violence in Minneapolis. The segment unfolded after the panel played a clip from Fox & Friends featuring the former model's call for unity.
Melania Trump's Call for Peace and Goldberg's Immediate Reaction
The 55-year-old First Lady had addressed viewers, stating: 'I know my husband, the president, had a great call yesterday with the governor and the mayor and they're working together to make it peaceful, and without riots. I'm against the violence, so, please, if you protest, protest in peace.' Notably, her remarks made no direct mention of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis protester fatally shot days earlier.
As the clip concluded, the broadcast returned to Goldberg, whose mouth was agape with an exaggerated, cartoonish expression of confusion. 'Who was that?!' the veteran host remarked, prompting laughter from the studio audience. 'She looks so familiar, I don't know who she was. Who was that?!' she continued, gesturing toward the screen where the First Lady's image had just appeared.
The Panel's Discussion and Context of the Statement
Goldberg, 70, then turned to longtime Executive Producer Brian Teta, humorously demanding clarification. Teta smiled and confirmed, 'That was the first lady.' This set the stage for co-host Sunny Hostin to join the conversation. Hostin pointed out that Trump's plea for peace was delivered in front of a billboard promoting her upcoming Amazon film, directed by Brett Ratner and scheduled for streaming release on January 30.
'Oh, well that's why she's against violence,' Goldberg quipped, eliciting a more mixed reaction from the audience. She added, 'OK! Well, OK, I can't remember the last time I saw her. I was so excited!'
Goldberg's Previous Emotional Commentary on the Minneapolis Shooting
The lighthearted moment contrasted sharply with Goldberg's visibly emotional commentary the previous day regarding Pretti's death, which she framed unequivocally as 'murder'. This followed statements from officials like Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem, who had accused Pretti of attempting to harm Border Patrol agents.
After listening to a clip of Noem stating the shooting was under investigation, Goldberg passionately declared: 'I don't know what you're investigating if you are not investigating the straight up murder - the straight up murder. This is the second one. The second murder of an American citizen,' referring also to the recent shooting of protester Renee Good by an ICE agent.
She continued, 'You see it. You're not blind. And if you don't see it, it's willful because you're not looking. You can't sit by this. Kristi Noem, you can't justify this. Mr. [Greg] Bovino, you can't justify this. You can't justify either one. And we all see it. And we see you for what you are. You all have blood on your hands.' The panelist became choked up during this powerful monologue.
Ongoing Fallout and Investigation into Pretti's Death
The political repercussions continued to unfold. Sources indicated that Greg Bovino, overseeing the ICE operation in Minnesota, was being ousted, and Noem's position was also under threat, with several Democratic lawmakers calling for her resignation. President Donald Trump, however, told reporters that Noem was not stepping down.
Pretti's death has sparked significant controversy. The administration's portrayal of him as an agitator and potential 'domestic terrorist' was fiercely contested by his family. In a statement, they condemned what they called 'sickening lies told about our son by the administration', describing the characterisation as 'reprehensible and disgusting'.
The family emphasised that video evidence from the scene showed Pretti was not holding a weapon when tackled by agents; he was reportedly filming with one hand while using the other to shield a woman from pepper spray. 'Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man,' they pleaded. Pretti, who had no criminal record, worked for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The incident is under joint investigation by the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
