The fallout from Disney’s quiet push to tone down the political discourse and Trump bashing on The View continues—and this time, it’s coming from within the extended Disney family.
Former ESPN host Jemele Hill publicly criticized Disney CEO Bob Iger over the weekend, speaking out against reports that he and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic asked The View hosts to cut back on political rhetoric—particularly segments targeting President Donald Trump. Hill, who previously worked under Iger during her controversial ESPN tenure, didn’t hold back.
A screenshot of the hosts of the View discussing politics – YouTube, The View
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“Trump is obviously, again, using his position as president to put pressure on these media companies and I think a lot of them are capitulating and feeling that pressure,” Hill said during CNN’s Table for Five. “Do the ratings support that you should stop talking about Donald Trump? Probably not.”
Hill’s question about ratings may not have the answer she was hoping for. While The View enjoyed a brief surge in viewership following President Trump’s re-election in November 2024—drawing over 4.4 million viewers the day after the election—those numbers quickly dropped.
By May 2025, average weekly viewership had fallen back to around 2.3 million, just barely ahead of Fox News’ The Faulkner Focus, which overtook The View in the ratings for the first time earlier this year. ABC insiders say that viewer fatigue over nonstop political content played a role in executive discussions about rebalancing the show’s format.
Bob Iger | 2019 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony | D23 EXPO 2019. Photo Credit: nagi usano from Tokyo, Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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Hill went on to argue that audience demand—not executive discomfort—should drive the conversation, once again speaking from a place void of actual facts and numbers.
“If you are Bob Iger… that’s the only thing that should matter,” she said, failing to note the show’s massive ratings dip. “As long as the audience decides that they have an appetite for that, then that’s what the women should talk about.”
Pushback and Division on The View
As The View and its many political controversies unfold, it’s clear the cast isn’t speaking with one voice. Co-host Ana Navarro has reportedly been the most vocal in defending the show’s hyper-political tone, allegedly confronting Iger directly at Disney’s recent Upfront presentation to advertisers. But, reportedly, not all hosts agree.
A Screenshot of Whoopi Goldberg Speaking on The View – YouTube, The View
According to a source who spoke with Fox News Digital, “Most hosts agree with the ABC top brass. The View is a daytime network talk show and needs to do more than just politics and Trump bashing. This was a welcome direction for many of us.”
When asked whether the show would scale back political segments under Trump’s second term, the source said, “It’s hard to say,” but warned: “Ignoring Bob Iger seems like a terrible decision.”
Broader Media Commentary
Others on CNN’s panel shared mixed reactions. Political commentator S.E. Cupp, while acknowledging issues with The View, applauded the hosts’ resolve. Meanwhile, former talk show host Montel Williams took a different approach, explaining that his own success has come from steering clear of politics altogether.
Sunny Hostin issuing a legal notice on The View – YouTube, Page Six
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“I try to stay off politics completely,” Williams said. “And guess what? My ratings are up, my numbers are up.” He emphasized the need for more diverse topics in media, saying, “I think our nation needs to be engaged in other conversations than just what [Trump’s] doing every day.”
What’s Next for Disney and The View?
The question now is whether The View will heed Disney’s subtle directive or double down on its political persona. Despite public statements of support, insiders suggest that Iger remains concerned about how the show’s combative tone reflects on the broader Disney brand—especially in a highly polarized election year.
Hill, for her part, warned that executive pressure sends a dangerous signal to journalists and media personalities alike.
“If they’re not willing to defend you in this moment, that’s really leaving you vulnerable,” she said. “And it’s really leaving our entire industry vulnerable.”
Bob Iger via New York Times Events YouTube
As The View political discourse saga continues, it’s becoming a litmus test for how far Disney is willing to go in shaping the public voice of its most outspoken personalities.
Do you think The View will actually tone down the political talk? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
