ABC’s The View had often bragged about how they’re held to the news network’s journalistic standards (they recently abandoning their use of legal notes to make corrections). They were particularly off the rails during Tuesday’s episode when they demanded FBI Director Kash Patel resign for using a private jet he’s required to use by law; and claimed Admiral Bradley was being thrown “under the bus” for airstrikes on alleged drug boats, despite playing a clip of the White House defending him. They also suggested Bradley was the one flying the plane.
When they were clutching their pearls about Patel’s jet travel, they played this soundbite of far-left Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD): “He’s been using a government jet for personal flights and lavish vacations. He's been taking his girlfriend on overnight dates on a $60 million government jet.”
“When you have clowns running an organization it becomes a circus. Right? And so, I think that's really what's happening here,” proclaimed co-host Sunny Hostin, who liked to tout her history as a former federal prosecutor.
Back here in reality, the position of FBI director was required by law to fly using a private jet for security purposes. A fact that went unmentioned by the ABC News show.
The View demands FBI Director Kash Patel and President Trump "resign" over Patel taking private flights. They also bellyache about "how we're living in a time of misinformation and disinformation," but omit how FBI directors, by law, are required to use private air travel for… pic.twitter.com/eDWGNnOAs4
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) December 2, 2025
Ironically, pretend independent co-host Sara Haines tried to scold Patel for using social media since “we're living in a time of misinformation and disinformation.”
The cast would team up to claim, without evidence, the FBI was no longer doing any of their routine investigative work under Patel, leaving America vulnerable (Click “expand”):
HOSTIN: They enforce domestic and international terrorism, foreign counter intelligence, cyber-based crime, public corruption, organized crime, white-collar crime, human trafficking –
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: What do they do now? That's what they used to do. But what do they do now?
HOSTIN: My point is –
[Crosstalk]
JOY BEHAR: They go clothes shopping.
HOSTIN: You know, I’ve worked with FBI agents as a federal prosecutor and it is one of the most important jobs within the Department of Justice.
They whined that neither Patel nor Trump would “resign” over it:
HOSTIN: And will he leave? I don't think that President Trump will fire him but I think he should resign. I think he should leave.
BEHAR: So should Trump resign. That doesn't mean they're going to do it.
Later in the show, they doubled down on their cries of purported “war crimes” from the previous day and the White House noting that orders during the operation came from Admiral Bradley.
The View claims Admiral Bradley was the pilot flying the plane to took out the alleged narco terrorists...
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) December 2, 2025
And despite playing clips of the administration defending Bradley, they claim the admin is throwing him "under the bus" and Secretary Hegseth is going to receive a "pardon"… pic.twitter.com/HAEG5QMwJC
Despite playing a soundbite of White House Press Secretary Karoline Levitt defending Bradley from the briefing room podium, The View’s moderator Whoopi Goldberg insisted the Admiral was thrown “under the bus.” She also claimed War Secretary Hegseth would get a “pardon” for war crimes (Click “expand”):
GABE GUTIERREZ (NBC): Admiral Bradley was the one who gave that order for a second strike?
LEAVITT: And he was well within his authority to do so.
(…)
GOLDBERG: Because they knew that Pete would -- he's going to get a pardon. So, he’s not going to be held accountable.
BEHAR: But the blaming! It’s like, I didn't do it. He did it. I didn't do it. He did it.
GOLDBERG: This is what they did. Look. [Gets up out of her chair] Watch this? See this? See the bus over there. [Pretends to bowl]
BEHAR: Under the bus.
HOSTIN: That's the admiral.
GOLDBERG: Threw that admiral right under the bus.
Goldberg also seemed to think Admiral Bradley was flying the plane that dropped the ordnance on the boat. “I do believe we said yesterday that this is exactly what they were going to do. They were going to blame the folks who worked in that plane,” she said.
This is ABC News, of course they wouldn't include the context that previous administrations had carried out similar strikes.
The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:
ABC’s The View
December 2, 2025
11:03:26 a.m. Eastern(…)
REP. JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): He’s been using a government jet for personal flights and lavish vacations. He's been taking his girlfriend on overnight dates on a $60 million government jet.
(…)
11:04:37 a.m. Eastern
SUNNY HOSTIN: When you have clowns running an organization it becomes a circus. Right? And so, I think that's really what's happening here.
But what we have to understand is that the FBI is a crucial part of our government. It's within the rubric of the Department of Justice, and what they are tasked to do is to protect the United States, our country, from terrorists and intelligence threats. They enforce domestic and international terrorism, foreign counter intelligence, cyber-based crime, public corruption, organized crime, white-collar crime, human trafficking –
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: What do they do now? That's what they used to do. But what do they do now?
HOSTIN: My point is –
[Crosstalk]
JOY BEHAR: They go clothes shopping.
HOSTIN: You know, I’ve worked with FBI agents as a federal prosecutor and it is one of the most important jobs within the Department of Justice. And the fact that you have 24 FBI sources, the fact that who have 100 and I believe 14-page, 115-page report saying that career FBI agents are losing confidence in the agency and are leaving the agency leaves our country unprotected from domestic and foreign threat. That is how serious this is.
And will he leave? I don't think that President Trump will fire him but I think he should resign. I think he should leave.
JOY BEHAR: So should Trump resign. That doesn't mean they're going to do it.
[Applause]
HOSTIN: Doesn't mean they're going to do it. He's just not qualified. He's just not qualified.
SARA HAINES: We talk about how we're living in a time of misinformation and disinformation and in the report we talked about how people criticized not only Kash Patel but Dan Bongino rely on social media.
(…)
11:17:53 a.m. Eastern
GABE GUTIERREZ (NBC): Admiral Bradley was the one who gave that order for a second strike?
KAROLINE LEAVITT (White House press secretary): And he was well within his authority to do so.
[Transition]
SEN. CHRIS COONS (D-DE): I think Secretary Hegseth likely gave the order. I know Admiral Bradley. He's the SOCOM commander. He came up through the ranks. He is decorated. He’s experienced. [Transition] I'd be very surprised if he did this on his own without direct support or a command from the secretary.
[Cuts back to live]
GOLDBERG: I do believe we said yesterday that this is exactly what they were going to do.
HOSTIN: Yeah.
GOLDBERG: They were going to blame the folks who worked in that plane.
BEHAR: It’s like they’re little kids.
GOLDBERG: Because they knew that Pete would -- he's going to get a pardon. So, he’s not going to be held accountable.
BEHAR: But the blaming! It’s like, I didn't do it. He did it. I didn't do it. He did it.
GOLDBERG: This is what they did. Look. [Gets up out of her chair] Watch this? See this? See the bus over there. [Pretends to bowl]
BEHAR: Under the bus.
HOSTIN: That's the admiral.
GOLDBERG: Threw that admiral right under the bus.
HOSTIN: They did throw him under the bus. I think what's so sad is when you're really a leader, you take responsibility and accountability for the wins and the losses. For all the decisions that are made. That is true leadership.
GOLDBERG: The buck stops there.
HOSTIN: The buck stops with the secretary of defense or the secretary of war; whatever he wants to call himself.
GOLDBERG: I don't know.
(…)
