• Disney CEO told The View hosts to tone down Trump-bashing, but the panel pushed back to keep their political focus, even as Disney urges The View to reconsider.
• Despite pressure from top executives, Disney urges The View remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in 2025.
• Trump’s lawsuits against major networks, alongside the tensions that arise, influence media companies’ handling of political content, emphasizing why Disney urges The View to adjust its approach.

Disney and ABC News recently asked the hosts of The View to scale back their heavy focus on criticizing Donald Trump and his administration. Since Trump won the 2024 election, the show’s panel—Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sara Haines, Ana Navarro, Sunny Hostin, and Alyssa Farah Griffin—have frequently targeted Trump’s policies and officials. As a result, Disney urges The View to diversify its topics and integrate non-political content. This sharp political commentary became a source of concern for Disney CEO Bob Iger and ABC News President Almin Karamehmedovic.

They felt the show needed to balance its content and avoid constant political talk. Karamehmedovic held a meeting with The View’s executive producer and hosts, urging them to explore topics beyond politics. He pointed to episodes with celebrity guests that brought in high ratings and encouraged the panel to lean more into such content.

While the request was framed gently, the hosts resisted. They argued that their viewers come to The View precisely for political analysis, especially when the government’s actions impact daily life. They questioned whether dropping political talk suddenly would disappoint their audience or hurt the show’s reputation. Ultimately, the hosts called the network’s suggestion “silly” and planned to continue their usual approach.

Hosts Defend Their Political Focus and Push Back on Network Requests

The hosts stood firm against the push to tone down politics. Ana Navarro, in particular, stressed that The View’s audience expects political discussion. They want insight into how government changes affect their lives. Sources say the hosts told network executives that politics forms the core of their show and questioned how cutting back would look to viewers.

Despite the executives’ advice, the hosts made it clear they would keep doing what they do best—talking about politics. Still, the conversation stayed important. During Disney’s annual event for advertisers, Navarro personally thanked Bob Iger for supporting the hosts’ work amid a politically charged atmosphere.

At the same time, Iger reiterated the need to reduce political rhetoric, showing that the idea to tone down politics came from the highest levels at Disney. ABC News and Disney declined to comment publicly, and Navarro did not respond to requests for comment.

However, one insider explained that ABC regularly talks with its talent about feedback from viewers. This request reflected some audience desire for less political content, even though many viewers clearly want more.

Despite Network Concerns, ‘The View’ Maintains Strong Ratings

Even with the calls to soften political content, The View kept its audience strong. The show ranked number one among daytime talk shows and news programs in the first quarter of 2025. It beat Fox News’ The Faulkner Focus in total viewers and in women ages 25 to 54, a key demographic for advertisers. It continued to hold the top spot in early May, outperforming competitors like NBC’s TODAY Third Hour and TODAY with Jenna & Friends. This success shows that political commentary did not hurt the show’s popularity. The network’s efforts to push for less politics reveal how media companies face tough challenges under Trump’s influence. His administration’s power to challenge media outlets has led executives like Bob Iger to get involved in how shows like The View handle their content.

Trump’s Legal Battles with Disney and CBS Put Pressure on Media Giants

Donald Trump’s lawsuits against Disney and CBS highlight the tense relationship between the former president and major media companies. In December, Disney settled with Trump by paying $15 million for his presidential library and $1 million for his legal fees. Trump sued the network and ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos over a 60 Minutes interview that misrepresented a verdict about Trump’s legal liability. Disney chose to settle partly to avoid brand damage and to protect press freedom. Trump also sued CBS and its parent company, Paramount Global, demanding $20 billion over a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. CBS called the lawsuit baseless, but Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone entered mediation talks to settle. These lawsuits caused a crisis at CBS, leading to the resignation of longtime 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens and CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon.

Federal Communications Commission and Trump Ally Increase Pressure on Networks

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also added to the pressure. Chairman Brendan Carr, a strong Trump supporter, launched an investigation into Disney and ABC’s diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. He said the 60 Minutes interview would influence the FCC’s review of a major merger involving these companies. On May 21, Trump publicly criticized an NBC News reporter and demanded an investigation into NBC’s parent company, Comcast. Sources close to the situation say Bob Iger faced a difficult decision after paying Trump $15 million, only to see the FCC start investigating Disney’s policies. Some insiders believe Iger chose to avoid further confrontation with Trump. They say if anyone could stand up to Trump, it would be Iger, but he decided against it.

‘The View’ Remains a Key Political Platform Despite Executive Pressure

The View has long been a powerful voice in American political media. Created by Barbara Walters, it became one of ABC News’ biggest hits. The show attracts mostly female viewers and hosts a wide range of political guests. Democrats like Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Kamala Harris often appear to reach this audience. In 2019, The New York Times Magazine called The View “the most important TV show in America” because of its impact. Even with pressure from network executives, The View remains committed to covering politics. Its hosts believe they serve an important role by informing viewers about government policies that affect their lives. As Disney urges The View to vary its content, the show continues to emphasize political dialogue.