Whoopi Goldberg Slammed Alyssa Farah Griffin on The View: The View’s Chaos Goes Viral!

On June 18, 2025, the set of ABC’s daytime talk show The View became a battleground for a fiery debate about the Middle East, with co-hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Alyssa Farah Griffin at the center of a contentious exchange. The discussion, which initially focused on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran, took a surprising turn when Goldberg compared the experiences of Black Americans in the United States to life under Iran’s authoritarian regime. The remark ignited a storm of reactions, both on the show and beyond, drawing criticism from co-hosts, viewers, Iranian dissidents, and media personalities. This article delves into the details of the clash, the broader context of the debate, and the implications of Goldberg’s controversial statement.

The Spark: A Discussion on Israel and Iran

The segment began with the co-hosts addressing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, a topic that has dominated global headlines. On June 13, 2025, Israel launched preemptive strikes on Tehran, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and escalating tensions in the region. The strikes, which resulted in explosions across the Iranian capital, were condemned by some as violations of international law. The View co-host Sunny Hostin was quick to criticize Israel’s actions, arguing that the preemptive attack was illegal and that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies were fueling the conflict. “Criticism of the Israeli government is not antisemitic,” Hostin emphasized, distancing her stance from any accusations of prejudice. “I’m criticizing Benjamin Netanyahu, I am criticizing Israel. Under international criminal law, what is happening now is not legal.”

The discussion took a more heated turn when Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump administration official, shifted the focus to Iran’s human rights record. Griffin highlighted the regime’s brutal practices, stating, “Let’s remember too, the Iranians literally throw gay people off of buildings. They don’t adhere to basic human rights.” She and co-host Sara Haines made it clear they were not willing to “defend” Iran, which they described as a “terrorist nation.” This set the stage for a deeper exploration of the differences between life in the U.S. and Iran, prompting Goldberg’s controversial comparison.

Goldberg’s Comparison: U.S. vs. Iran

As the debate intensified, Griffin argued that living in the United States in 2025 was “very different” from living in Iran, pointing to freedoms like her ability to wear her chosen outfit without fear of persecution. “In the year 2025 in the United States, it is nothing like if I step foot wearing this outfit into Iran right now,” she said. Goldberg, however, pushed back forcefully, asserting, “It is the same. Murdering someone for their difference is not good whoever does it.” When Griffin reiterated that the two nations were not comparable, Goldberg doubled down, stating, “Not if you’re Black.” Hostin echoed this sentiment, adding, “Not for everybody.”

Goldberg’s comparison was rooted in her perspective on systemic racism in the United States, particularly the historical and ongoing challenges faced by Black Americans. She invoked the history of racial violence, saying, “Let’s not do that, because if we start with that, we have been known in this country to tie gay folks to the car. Listen, I’m sorry, they used to just keep hanging Black people.” She also claimed that Black Americans were effectively denied the right to vote until the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, underscoring her belief that the U.S. has its own legacy of oppression.

The exchange grew increasingly tense, with Goldberg expressing frustration at Griffin’s inability to understand her perspective. “There’s no way for me to make you understand my argument,” she said at one point, highlighting the emotional weight of the discussion. The clash revealed a deep divide among the co-hosts, with Goldberg and Hostin emphasizing systemic inequities in the U.S., while Griffin and Haines focused on the stark differences between American freedoms and Iran’s theocratic oppression.

Backlash and Criticism

Goldberg’s comparison drew immediate backlash, both on the show and in the broader media landscape. Alyssa Farah Griffin was not alone in challenging the analogy; Iranian dissidents and American commentators quickly weighed in, condemning Goldberg’s remarks as inaccurate and offensive. Dr. Sheila Nazarian, an Iranian-American plastic surgeon whose family fled Iran in 1985, told Fox News Digital that Goldberg’s comparison was “deeply misguided and dismisses the brutal realities faced by millions of Iranians.” Nazarian, whose father was targeted by the Iranian regime, emphasized the freedoms Goldberg enjoys in the U.S., stating, “The very fact that she, as a woman—and a woman of color—has a platform where she can speak freely, express dissenting views, and appear uncovered on national television is proof of the immense freedoms she enjoys.”

Iranian-American journalist Lisa Daftari echoed this sentiment, calling Goldberg’s claim “astonishing” and arguing that it trivialized the suffering of Iranians under the Ayatollah’s regime. On social media, Black Americans also expressed outrage, accusing Goldberg of being out of touch. TikTok user Key (@nahzfontee) posted a video criticizing Goldberg’s privilege as a multimillionaire, stating, “You’re a multi-millionaire Black woman on national television—that alone shows the difference.” Another TikTok creator, Bigswol (@bigswol), blasted Goldberg, saying, “Not one Black American would trade places with anyone in Iran. What are you talking about?”

Fox News anchors and commentators were particularly vocal in their criticism. Harris Faulkner, host of The Faulkner Focus, called Goldberg’s comparison “asinine” and “as racist as anything I’ve ever heard,” arguing that it undermined the progress made since the era of Jim Crow and slavery. “This is not 2025,” Faulkner fumed, noting the success of Black Americans like herself and Fox News contributor Gianno Caldwell. Primetime host Sean Hannity dismissed the remarks as “like a Saturday Night Live bit,” while others suggested Goldberg should experience Iran’s oppression firsthand to understand the difference.

Broader Context: Political and Cultural Tensions

The clash on The View occurred against the backdrop of heightened political and cultural tensions in the United States. The segment was partly prompted by fears that President Donald Trump, who had recently threatened Iranian leader Ali Khamenei as an “easy target,” might involve the U.S. in a broader conflict with Iran. Some of Trump’s MAGA supporters, including conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, urged him to maintain an isolationist stance, warning that a war with Iran could end his presidency. The debate on The View thus reflected broader anxieties about U.S. foreign policy and its domestic implications.

Goldberg’s remarks also tapped into ongoing discussions about race and privilege in America. Her reference to historical injustices, such as lynchings and voter suppression, resonated with those who argue that systemic racism continues to shape the Black experience. However, her comparison to Iran—a nation described by the U.S. State Department as an “authoritarian theocratic republic” with strict Shia Islamist laws—struck many as hyperbolic. Iran’s regime has been widely criticized for its treatment of women, religious minorities, and political dissidents, including the 2022 death of a woman in custody for not wearing a hijab, which sparked nationwide protests.

Responses from Media and Public Figures

The controversy extended beyond The View’s studio, with prominent media figures weighing in. On HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher and Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) criticized Goldberg’s comparison, with Maher joking that Democrats needed to “do something about The View” for its “far-left rhetoric.” Hunt, a Black congressman from a white-majority district, rejected Goldberg’s assessment, citing his own success as evidence of progress. “A lot of white people had to vote for me—a lot,” he said, arguing that Goldberg’s narrative of victimhood was outdated.

Other commentators, including Adam Corolla and Greg Gutfeld, seized on the remarks, with Gutfeld accusing Goldberg of being “on the very wrong side of history.” The backlash even reached international audiences, with Goldberg facing criticism during an appearance at the Taobuk Awards in Sicily, where she discussed her memoir Bits and Pieces but avoided addressing the controversy directly. Social media users on Instagram urged her to “move to Iran” and questioned how she could “show her face in public” after the remarks.

Implications and Reflections

The clash on The View underscores the challenges of discussing complex issues like race, human rights, and international conflict in a polarized media environment. Goldberg’s comparison, while rooted in her perspective on racial injustice, was widely seen as undermining the severity of Iran’s human rights abuses. At the same time, her critics’ dismissal of systemic racism in the U.S. risked oversimplifying the Black American experience. The debate highlights the difficulty of drawing parallels between different forms of oppression without trivializing either.

For The View, the controversy adds to a history of high-profile disputes, including Goldberg’s 2022 suspension for comments about the Holocaust. The show’s outspoken liberal panel has long been a lightning rod for criticism, with some arguing it alienates viewers with its political rhetoric. As the fallout continues, Goldberg faces mounting pressure to clarify or retract her remarks, though she has yet to respond directly to the criticism.

In a broader sense, the incident reflects the ongoing struggle to navigate conversations about race, privilege, and global human rights in a way that fosters understanding rather than division. As the U.S. grapples with its own challenges and the world watches the Middle East conflict unfold, the debate on The View serves as a microcosm of larger societal tensions—ones that are unlikely to be resolved in a single heated exchange.