The View Wants You to Stop Criticizing Olympians Who Criticize America

Nicholas Fondacaro
February 16th, 2026 3:47 PM

Text to Speech

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During their Presidents Day episode on Monday, ABC’s The View made it clear that they believed only some criticisms were worth the breathe used to make them. The cast didn’t really like that some Americans dared to criticize those Olympic athletes who used their opportunity on the world stage to criticize the country they were there to represent. They also suggested that when President Trump left office, citizens would rush out into the streets to tear down his name and statues.

After moderator Whoopi Goldberg mocked Vice President V.D. Vance for getting booed at the opening ceremony and suggesting Trump was just the “president of ICE agents,” co-host Ana Navarro spoke up first to lash and suggest something was “wrong with you” if you didn’t hate the Trump administration:

And I think, you know, my question is, if you're not having mixed feelings about loving your country and being proud of your country, but disdaining what this government is doing, what the hell is wrong with you?

She also noted that those American Olympians who were criticizing their home were saying things that wouldn’t fly in other countries, and that they had the right to do so as Americans:

One of the things that distinguishes America is our right to free speech. And that includes athletes, that includes actors, that includes every single American. There's places in the world where if athletes did what these athletes did in Italy, they would be jailed or tortured or killed. But not in the United States. And I think that they -- they are articulating what a lot of Americans are feeling.

 

 

Near the end of the segment, Goldberg chimed in again to bemoan the criticism of the criticizers. “The problem for me is, people at home who are calling them losers and all these kind of names,” she griped.

Seemingly to Goldberg, the only things they could say America were negative:

But here's the issue. You know, they are entitled to feel how they feel. That is their right. And they are saying, I don't agree with everything. It's like, when I was a kid, people said, my country, right or wrong. No! If you're wrong, you're wrong! And people are going to say, you're wrong.

While Goldberg wanted to stop the criticism of those few athletes, she went off about how they had that right:

So, you know, all of these people who are criticizing these folks, saying, stop talking -- because in this country, we are still allowed -- we are still allowed. It has not been outlawed. They can threaten it, but they haven't stopped it. We are allowed to say what we think and what we feel.

 

 

“Stop calling people losers! And get out and do a little exercising and maybe you can compete with them,” she exclaimed.

Later in the show, during their actual Presidents Day discussion, Navarro went off on Trump putting his name on different government buildings and the planning of monuments. “First, why he's doing it. Because he's got a frail little ego. Because he’s a narcissist. Because he's insecure and a narcissist,” she chided.

Her comments then shifted into a mixture of a warning to Trump and a prediction of what would happen after her left office. “[A]round the world, anytime in history, when a bad period ends. When an authoritarian leaves, an authoritarian falls, the first thing that happens is that citizens run out and topple the statutes, take the names off the buildings,” she touted.

 

 

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

ABC’s The View
February 16, 2026
11:03:45 a.m. Eastern

(…)

ANA NAVARRO: One of the things that distinguishes America is our right to free speech. And that includes athletes, that includes actors, that includes every single American. There's places in the world where if athletes did what these athletes did in Italy, they would be jailed or tortured or killed. But not in the United States. And I think that they -- they are articulating what a lot of Americans are feeling.

You know, I'm not an Olympic athlete. I play pickleball, badly. But I think, particularly, when you are outside of the United States, and – we all represent the United States. If you have a U.S. Passport and you are an American citizen, you're representing the United States. And every time you set foot anywhere else on the United States right now, and you know this, because you spent so much time in Italy, they think we've gone insane!

And I think, you know, my question is, if you're not having mixed feelings about loving your country and being proud of your country, but disdaining what this government is doing, what the hell is wrong with you?

(…)

11:06:59 a.m. Eastern

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: The problem for me is, people at home who are calling them losers and all these kind of names--

SUNNY HOSTIN: The president called him a loser, yeah.

GOLDBERG: You know, there --

NAVARRO: I’d like to see him ski down a hill.

GOLDBERG: But here's the issue. You know, they are entitled to feel how they feel. That is their right. And they are saying, I don't agree with everything. It's like, when I was a kid, people said, my country, right or wrong. No! If you're wrong, you're wrong! And people are going to say, you're wrong.

So, you know, all of these people who are criticizing these folks, saying, stop talking -- because in this country, we are still allowed -- we are still allowed. It has not been outlawed. They can threaten it, but they haven't stopped it. We are allowed to say what we think and what we feel.

And when we are across the pond, they did it the right way. They said, I'm not -- with everything that's happening. They didn't say, the country should go to hell. That's not what they said at all. Stop calling people losers! And get out and do a little exercising and maybe you can compete with them!

We'll be right back.

(…)

11:14:19 a.m. Eastern

NAVARRO: First, why he's doing it. Because he's got a frail little ego. Because he’s a narcissist. Because he's insecure and a narcissist.

Also look, how does this usually work? It usually works like somebody is president or somebody does something extraordinary in America, serve, and after they're gone, the people have such admiration and respect and fond memories of them, that they want something named for them, right? That's how it's happened until now. What is he trying to do? He is trying to extort states by tying federal funding to them changing the name.

But I'll just remind them of this. Anytime -- and anywhere around the world, anytime in history, when a bad period ends. When an authoritarian leaves, an authoritarian falls, the first thing that happens is that citizens run out and topple the statutes, take the names off the buildings.

HOSTIN: I think you’re absolutely right.

(…)

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