“The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg offered a surprise defense of President Trump as she supported his plan to attend the Knicks’ game on Monday evening – even if it caused security chaos.
“They [the Knicks] are two games ahead in the NBA Finals, but tonight’s triumphant return to the home court at Madison Square Garden has a lot of fans kind of worried, especially after you-know-who accepted an invite from Knicks owner James Dolan,” Goldberg said.
The show then played footage of Trump telling reporters he had accepted an invite from Dolan – and TV personalities like Stephen A. Smith and Donny Deutsch reacting to the news, calling for neither Trump nor Mayor Zohran Mamdani to attend Game 3.
Some audience members applauded the backlash – but Goldberg actually stepped in to defend the president’s appearance at the historic NBA Finals game.
“I’m sorry. Trump and Mayor Mamdani are Knicks fans, and have been,” Goldberg said. “They’re New Yorkers. And there’s nothing either one of them can do to change what’s happening in this city, for this team.”
Co-host Sunny Hostin jumped in: “Can they jinx us?”
“You know what,” Goldberg responded. “I don’t think anything can jinx anything. I think these guys are on a mission!”
“They’re like the Blues Brothers: They’re on a mission from God! And they have been winning and doing everything, and you know, you could be buck naked up in the box, and ain’t nobody paying attention!” she added.
“Anybody who’s a Knicks fan should be there. You earned the right as a Knicks fan. I don’t care who you are. I don’t have to like you, I don’t have to dig you.”
Fans attending the game will face tightened security measures at Madison Square Garden because of Trump’s attendance, including stretches of streets that will be completely blocked off, and no backpacks, bags or other containers allowed into the stadium. The NYPD is encouraging attendees to show up at least two hours before tip-off.
“The View” co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin suggested the potential backlash might not be worth the hassle of the president’s appearance.
“If I were advising him, I would be like, ‘Do not go,’ because if they lose tonight, everybody is going to blame Trump!” Griffin said.
The co-hosts also joked that Trump claimed he did not have time to go to his son Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding because of the war in Iran, and yet has time to go to the Knicks game.
Co-host Ana Navarro argued that Trump might be a New Yorker, but he will still face heated backlash from Knicks fans at the game.
“He was a New Yorker, but because they hate him so much here, and because he’s fleeing the taxes, he’s a Floridian,” Navarro said.
“I was a Californian!” Goldberg retorted. “I went to the Lakers games. I have always been, at my core – because I’m from here – I have always been a Knicks fan. And when you have always been a Knicks fan, it doesn’t matter where you live!”
Goldberg also argued that even if she “was as big” as Trump and Mamdani, she would still go to the game – to which co-host Sara Haines responded, “You’re bigger than them! You’re Whoopi Goldberg!”
“They’re going to put him up there,” Goldberg said, referring to the rafters. “And all we need to concentrate on is putting our energy, and good energy, towards them, towards the Knicks. That’s what this is about. And that’s what all of this is about.”
