Savannah Chrisley’s week as guest host of The View went off the rails on Thursday when the MAGA influencer and reality TV star suggested that President Donald Trump isn’t racist.
Chrisley and The View’s regular hosts—Whoopi Goldberg, Sunny Hostin, Sara Haines, and Joy Behar—got into a tense back-and-forth while discussing the president’s remarks during a White House event yesterday in honor of Black History Month.
Goldberg began by saying that “you-know-who is being accused of sending mixed messages” during Black History Month, bringing up a court order demanding that the Trump administration restore a slavery exhibition removed from the Independence National Historical Park in Pennsylvania.
“But,” Goldberg mocked, “yesterday, he touted his relationship with the Black community.” She then played a clip of Trump’s address, which included some bizarre comments about rapper-turned-MAGA supporter Nicki Minaj and the late civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Chrisley, 28, immediately responded, saying, “I get the rants, I do. I understand themwholeheartedly.”
But she quickly added, “What’s so hard for me to witness is people stating that the president is a racist because I’ve seen him...” Chrisley then claimed that Trump “saved” the life of one of her best friends who is Black.
Hostin, 57, interjected quickly, shaking her head as she said, “So he has a Black friend? He’s a racist.”
Goldberg, in turn, addressed Chrisley directly, pointing out the many accusations and incidents of racism from Trump’s past. This list includes Trump’s swift attacks on DEI policies after taking office, his push to execute the exonerated Central Park 5, as well as a discrimination case from the 1970s, in which Trump was accused of discriminating against Black tenants.
The host also noted his recent social media post depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes.
As Chrisley continued to question the legitimacy of the discrimination case, several of the show’s hosts jumped to explain and clarify.
Haines, 48, added to the conversation by listing Trump’s other alleged offenses when it comes to race.
“When you look at like the Pentagon removed web pages honoring Black military figures, people that would fight for this country, come back and…. couldn’t even sit in certain places or drink from certain water fountains, they put their lives on the line," she said, referring to the Pentagon taking down—and later restoring—pages honoring Black veterans.
Hostin later added, “Let’s call a thing a thing. Donald Trump is a racist. There is no question in my mind,” receiving cheers and applause from the audience.
Chrisley shook her head in response. “It’s time to say the truth and tell it like it is,” Hostin said, bringing up the video of the Obamas again as an objectively “racist act.”
Chrisley raised her voice repeatedly at Hostin, nearly yelling, “It was a staffer who posted it.” Her claim echoes the claims of the Trump administration, which responded to backlash by blaming an unnamed “White House staffer” who “erroneously made the post.”
The media personality, whose parents were pardoned by Trump last year, offered a rebuttal by bringing up the millions in funds that Trump awarded to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). According to the White House, Trump signed a historic $255 million in funding for HBCUs in his first term.
“That funding was starting before,” both Hostin and Goldberg interjected.
The Biden administration announced $1.3 billion in federal funding for HBCUs in September 2024. That brought funding towards this cohort of colleges and universities to a total of $17 billion during Joe Biden’s presidency, according to The 19th News.
Chrisley again refused to blame Trump for posting the video of the Obamas, instead insisting that “two staffers who have all the log-ins” to the president’s accounts.
As the conversation reached a boiling point, Goldberg stepped in, saying, “Here’s the good thing about this show: Everybody has an opinion. We can have these conversations, and then we go away and talk about our bra size.”
The heated discussion on this morning’s episodes comes on the heels of viewers threatening to boycott The View over Chrisley’s parents. In just a few days of hosting, Chrisley’s presence on the show has elicited strong reactions. The unabashed MAGA supporter has become a point of contention as she temporarily hosts the ABC talk show, joining many replacing Alyssa Farah Griffin during her maternity leave.
Chrisley’s latest remarks incited swift backlash across social media. “Trump is ‘not racist’ in the same way her parents were ‘not guilty’ of several types of fraud. Spare us,” one user wrote on X.
“I’m dying at the hosts of The View going innnnnnn on guest-host Savannah Chrisley for saying Donald Trump isn’t racist,” wrote another.
In an interview with the talk show’s executive producer, Brian Testa, yesterday, Chrisley said, “I’m not here to be a MAGA poster-child.”
“But I do very much align with President Trump and his family,” she remarked. “Everyone’s political beliefs are based off their own life experiences and traumas,” she said, veering into an explanation of her parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, being convicted of tax evasion and fraud. Chrisley also added that there are “a lot of things” that she agrees with “the left” about.
Chrisley’s clash with her fellow panelists followed another encounter yesterday, in which the influencer falsely claimed that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the Democratic Party’s choice for president in 2028.
Goldberg swooped in, responding, “No, no, no!” while Behar said, “You better tell that to Gavin Newsom!”
