Bob Iger and ABC News President Told ‘The View’ Hosts to Stop Criticizing Trump

Shannen Ace

Six women from The View on a yellow set; Bob Iger smiles in a suit against a blurred outdoor background.

Bob Iger and ABC News President Told ‘The View’ Hosts to Stop Criticizing Trump

Disney CEO Bob Iger and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic asked the hosts of “The View” to talk less about politics, reports The Daily Beast.

Bob Iger and ABC News President Tell ‘The View’ To Tone Down Political Talk

Six women in black outfits pose together in a stylish room, like a scene from The View, with elegant furniture and a patterned rug.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, Karamehmedovic held a meeting with “The View” executive producer Brian Teta and hosts Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin. Karamehmedovic “suggested the panel needed to broaden its conversations beyond its predominant focus on politics” and encouraged them to lean more into celebrity guest coverage.

The note was not a hard directive, but the hosts still weren’t happy. Ana Navarro argued that the show’s audience seeks out their political perspectives. Once source said the hosts essentially said, “This is what our audience wants. Isn’t it gonna look kind of bad if we’re all of a sudden not talking about politics?”

One of The Daily Beast’s sources said ABC will “constantly have conversations with talent based on viewer feedback, and this instance was no different,” indicating the suggestion is based on viewer opinions.

The hosts ultimately deemed the request “silly” and decided “they were just going to keep doing their thing.” But according to multiple sources, Navarro spoke directly with Iger about the issue during Disney’s Upfront presentation day last week.

A person in a suit speaks at a podium in front of a screen displaying "The Walt Disney Company" logo, announcing the debut date for "Inside Out 2," which will be available exclusively on Disney+.

Navarro thanked Iger “for allowing the hosts to continue doing their jobs in a politically turbulent environment,” said the sources. Iger said he supports the show but seconded Karamehmedovic’s suggestion about toning down political talk.

The sticking point for Iger and Karamehmedovic seems to be not just political discussions in general but the hosts’ frequent criticisms of the Trump administration.

This comes a few months after ABC News settled a defamation lawsuit with Trump, paying $15 million. In March, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr said he was preparing to investigate Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

One of The Daily Beast’s sources said, “Bob Iger writes a check for $15 million, and then the FCC opens an investigation into DEI? What are they thinking? If anybody could stand up to Trump, it’s Bob Iger, and he already decided not to.”

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