The co-hosts of “The View” gave bombastic responses Friday to former President Trump skewering their show during his speech at the Al Smith dinner.
Trump spoke on Thursday night at the 79th Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner, a decades-old charity event gathering various movers and shakers in New York. The event has become a political and cultural hallmark of election seasons, known for adding levity to the campaign trail.
Multiple co-hosts on the show objected to the idea of Trump attending the Catholic charity event, arguing that it defies actual Catholic values and normalizes him as a person.
“To have Donald Trump sitting there and we are pretending that he is some sort of, like, upstanding citizen, I find it rather offensive,” co-host Ana Navarro said. “I am glad Kamala Harris wasn’t there. Oh, and by the way, Donald Trump mispronounced her name 11 freaking times.”
Later, co-host Joy Behar quipped, “It seems like one of Trump’s biggest campaign issues is this show!”
They then showed footage of Trump doing a roast of his critics at the dinner, declaring, “This stupid show ‘The View’ is so bad now that the other day I was watching it and thinking to myself, ‘You know what? They really need to bring Rosie O’Donnell back,’” sparking laughter among the audience at the event.
“That show is bad. Those people are bad. I know every one of them, and they are bad news. I want to tell you. And it doesn’t do very well either. I always like to say, you know, ratings are very important. When they don’t do well, it doesn’t do very well,” he said.
Behar then appeared to mock him by wordlessly mumbling and slouching around and then said, “Anyway, I think he’s met all of us except Sunny.”
“Hell no, he has never met me,” Navarro protested. “No no no no no. I don’t know what the hell you’re reading, but I gotta tell you, I’ve lived 52 years, I’ve lived 44 years in this country. I have never shaken that man’s hand, I have never given him a kiss, I’ve never watched his show, I’ve never bought any of his crappy products, and I’ve never voted for him!”
TRIO OF NEW POLLS AGREE ON WHERE TRUMP AND HARRIS STAND WITH THREE WEEKS TO GO UNTIL ELECTION DAY
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin rejected his commentary on their ratings, arguing, “We are number one in daytime over the last four years so the ratings are fine.”
“Isn’t it in such an enjoyable thing to live rent-free in his head?” Hostin later asked. “I mean, we live rent-free in this man’s head.”
“I enjoy it. I enjoy it, and I enjoy that he has admitted now, at least three to four times, that he watches the show. Thank you. Thank you, Donald. Hi!” she said to the camera.
Presidential nominees for both political parties have historically attended the Al Smith dinner to trade barbs with one another in a light-hearted manner.
Harris skipped the event – the first time a nominee has done so since failed Democratic nominee Walter Mondale in 1984 – and instead sent dinner organizers a video to broadcast to the audience that was panned by critics.
