‘Bona Fide News’: The View Erroneously Claims 'Nobody Wants' Voter ID

Nicholas Fondacaro
June 25th, 2026 4:17 PM

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Amid ABC’s battle with the Federal Communication Commission over The View’s purported status as a “bona fide news program,” the show’s moderator, Whoopi Goldberg erroneously claimed that “nobody wants” voter I.D. laws. Her latest lie came as Goldberg once again instructed viewers how they should vote in upcoming primaries and general elections.

Upset that Trump was refusing to sign a bipartisan housing bill until Congress sent him the SAVE America Act, Goldberg over exaggerated the situation and falsely asserted, “He torpedoed the bill because he wants another bill signed.”

The use of the phrase “torpedoed” made it sound as though the bill was vetoed and killed, rather than just being put aside.

Goldberg then proceeded to suggest that “no body” wanted such a voter I.D. law. She was joined by co-host Sunny Hostin, who was curiously upset that it required voters to prove citizenship:

GOLDBERG: It doesn't have the votes. So, he's trying to push to and do all kinds of stuff. It just -- It's ridiculous. It's - The bill that would force people to have I.D. when they come to vote, and nobody wants it.

[Crosstalk]

HOSTIN: And to prove citizenship.

 

 

Of course, Goldberg was lying about voter I.D. laws not being popular. One would think that being part of the ABC News division she would be familiar with her network’s own reporting on the issue.

Back in March, ABC News cited a Pew Research Center poll, which found broad support for voter I.D. laws.

“An August 2025 Pew Research Center study found that 83% of the more than 3,500 people surveyed are in favor of requiring voters to show government-issued photo ID at the polls,” ABC reported. “Of those who identified as Democrats, 71% are in favor, and 95% of Republicans are recorded as supporting voter ID at the polls, according to the same survey.”

Co-host Joy Behar chimed in to argue that requiring I.D. to prove citizenship was somehow harmful or targeted Democrats:

Basically, it suppresses the vote because when people vote Democrat in big numbers, Democrats win. So, it’s their little trick is to make sure that you come with your birth certificate (…) A passport (…) or, a Real I.D., and if you don't have those things, they won't let you vote. That’s what he wants.

 

 

Without evidence, Behar added that the whole bill was a ploy to keep Trump out of prison. For what crime? She never said:

BEHAR: Basically, it’s called the SAVE America Act which is ironic because it's really saving his behind.

HOSTIN: Yeah.

BEHAR: Save the Donald Trump Behind Act.

(…)

BEHAR: But he's trying to stay out of the slammer! That's what he's trying to do!

As they were nearing the commercial break, Goldberg decided to engage in some further electioneering from her platform on the broadcast network. She once again instructed people to vote for candidates who would oppose Trump:

If you're Republican, if you're a real Republican who has Republican thoughts and wants to see what the par -- remind yourself what the party is, then get out there and find that Republican who you know is not going to be loyal to that man, but who is going to be loyal to the people who put him in. Do the same with the Democrats. Don't just vote because somebody else voted that way, do your homework and get out there and make sure that you are voting for the country you want to be in.

 

 

Despite co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin being the only on the set who had ever voted for a Republican, Goldberg pompously proclaimed: “[W]e have to teach young folks also that we have to learn how to vote for each other because voting for one thing doesn't work.

Taken in its full context with what she said about Republicans, she meant Republicans had to vote for Democrats.

The transcript is below. Click "expand" to read:

ABC’s The View
June 25, 2026
11:03:55 a.m. Eastern

(…)

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: I just - He torpedoed the bill because he wants another bill signed.

ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: Yeah.

JOY BEHAR: Right.

GOLDBERG: And it seems to me no one wants to sign this bill.

FARAH GRIFFIN: It doesn't have the votes.

GOLDBERG: It doesn't have the votes. So, he's trying to push to and do all kinds of stuff. It just -- It's ridiculous. It's - The bill that would force people to have I.D. when they come to vote, and nobody wants it.

[Crosstalk]

SUNNY HOSTIN: And to prove citizenship.

BEHAR: Basically, it’s called the SAVE America Act which is ironic because it's really saving his behind.

HOSTIN: Yeah.

BEHAR: Save the Donald Trump Behind Act.

[Applause]

FARAH GRIFFIN: There are probably portions of the SAVE America Act that could pass, but the bill itself does not have the votes in the Senate.

BEHAR: Basically, it suppresses the vote because when people vote Democrat in big numbers, Democrats win. So, it’s their little trick is to make sure that you come with your birth certificate.

HOSTIN: Yeah.

BEHAR: Which my birth certificate says Josephine Occhiuto, not Joy Behar. So, what does that mean, I can’t vote? A passport, which I happen to have because I have some money and I’ve been able to travel. Or, a Real I.D., and if you don't have those things, they won't let you vote. That’s what he wants.

HOSTIN: And I think that something like 50 percent or more of Americans don't have passports.

BEHAR: But he's trying to stay out of the slammer! That's what he's trying to do!

(…)

11:10:37 a.m. Eastern

GOLDBERG: The bottom line to all of this is, you know, as annoying as this is, it's no longer relevant to what we all have to do.

BEHAR: That's right.

GOLDBERG: If you're Republican, if you're a real Republican who has Republican thoughts and wants to see what the par -- remind yourself what the party is, then get out there and find that Republican who you know is not going to be loyal to that man, but who is going to be loyal to the people who put him in. Do the same with the Democrats. Don't just vote because somebody else voted that way, do your homework and get out there and make sure that you are voting for the country you want to be in.

You know, and we have -- because we have to teach young folks also that we have to learn how to vote for each other because voting for one thing doesn't work. We all get left out this the cold so this is a joint effort. So, make sure you get out there and vote. I'm sorry. What were you going to say?

BEHAR: I was going to say, last I checked, Republicans buy houses also.

GOLDBERG: Yes, yes, yes, they do, and we'll be right back.

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