Whoopi Goldberg Splits From ‘The View' Panel Over Knicks White House Debate
Whoopi Goldberg had a very different reaction from some of her The View co-hosts during a debate about the New York Knicks visiting the White House.
On the Thursday, June 18 episode, the panel discussed Knicks owner James Dolan accepting an invitation to visit President Donald Trump at the White House after the team's NBA championship win.
The topic quickly split the table.
Whoopi Goldberg Said She Wants the Knicks to Go
Goldberg said she wanted every Knicks player to attend the visit.
"I want them to go," she said, according to TV Insider. "I want all those Black men to stand in our house and remind all of those people, as we tried to remind the vice president, that when you try to destroy one part of history, you're destroying all of our histories."
Goldberg said she wanted the players to show up as champions and as people who had been "down and came back up."
"For me, for this moment, it must be about more than him," she added, referring to Trump.
Sunny Hostin Had a Different Take
Sunny Hostin disagreed with the idea of the players attending.
According to TV Insider, Hostin said she believed Trump would "politicize" the event.
Alyssa Farah Griffin had a slightly different view. She said she supported the idea of players going, but believed they should have the right to skip the visit without facing pressure or backlash.
The debate followed Dolan's acceptance of the invitation on behalf of the team.
Sara Haines Said the Players Were Put in a Tough Spot
Sara Haines focused on the position the players were placed in once Dolan publicly accepted the invitation.
She said Dolan's friendship with Trump made the situation more complicated for the players.
"I just think it's not fair to take any of the flowers and the beauty of this moment and its unity and try to then place it on the player's backs," Haines said.
The Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 earlier this month, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
The White House visit would mark another high-profile moment for the team, but the panel made it clear that not everyone sees the invitation the same way.
The Visit Has Already Sparked Debate
White House visits for championship teams have become more politically charged in recent years, especially when players or teams disagree with the sitting president.
That was part of the tension at The View table.
For Hostin, the concern was that Trump would politicize the event. For Haines, the problem was that the players were being pulled into a public decision made by their owner.
Goldberg saw it differently.
She argued that the Knicks showing up could send its own message, separate from Trump.
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 12:41 PM.