Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to the White House briefing room for the first time on Tuesday, introducing a new era of communication for the Trump administration. At just 27 years old, she made history as the youngest person to ever hold the role, promising a fresh approach that prioritizes transparency and engagement with non-traditional media voices.
But rather than discuss her policies or experience, the ladies of The View launched into a different conversation—one that critics are calling blatantly sexist and dismissive. During a segment discussing Leavitt’s appointment, Joy Behar and her co-hosts made crude remarks suggesting she was only given the job because of her appearance.
“I think she’s probably been put in there because, according to Donald Trump, she’s a ‘10,’” Behar scoffed. “You know that’s what it is!”
Even as one of the panelists attempted to note Leavitt’s prior government experience, the conversation devolved into an implication that she wouldn’t have earned the position under any other administration.
“I would like her to do homework. She said something yesterday that pissed me off, that was, ‘there will be no wokeness here.’ Let me explain, without that wokeness, you might not have that job,” Whoopi Goldber later said.
WATCH:
The comments immediately sparked backlash, with many calling out the hypocrisy of a show that claims to champion women’s empowerment while reducing an accomplished female professional to nothing more than her looks. The irony was not lost on many who pointed out how the media would have reacted had these comments been directed at a liberal woman in power.
“Well that sounds racist,” one user wrote on X.
“Well, to be fair, there’s not a chance in hell she got her job on the view because of her looks,” one user joked of Behar.
“If jobs are based on looks how tf did these cows get on air?” another joked.
A quick look at Leavitt’s resume debunks The View’s claims. Before being appointed White House press secretary, she served as the national press secretary for the Trump 2024 campaign. Prior to that, she worked as the communications director for Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and had an earlier stint as assistant press secretary in the Trump White House.
She also held roles in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence and worked under then-Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. In addition, she was a spokesperson for a major pro-Trump super PAC. Leavitt holds degrees in communications and political science and has built a reputation as a sharp and articulate conservative voice.
The incident, however, follows a long trend of The View targeting conservative women with demeaning attacks. Whether it was their treatment of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Kayleigh McEnany, or even former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the talk show has routinely dismissed the accomplishments of right-leaning women while championing their liberal counterparts.
Meanwhile, Leavitt remains focused on the job at hand, telling reporters in her first briefing that she plans to expand media access and give a voice to outlets that have long been sidelined by the Washington establishment. If her debut is any indication, she’s not just ready for the job—she’s more than capable of handling the heat.
