Wednesday, March 4, saw a tense exchange erupt on an episode of The View as the panel discussed Elisabeth Hasselbeck found herself at odds with her fellow panelists, defending Noem and, by implication, Donald Trump, amidst widespread criticism—even from prominent GOP figures—following a series of shooting deaths in Minneapolis involving ICE agents.
After viewing clips of Noem being sharply criticized by Republican Senator Thom Tillis, the co-hosts shared their reactions.
“I care about dogs and I care about people. I believe all lives are precious in God’s eyes, and given these extraordinary times, we need an extraordinary approach to such matters,” Hasselbeck stated, prior to supporting Noem. “Certainly, errors will occur, but if Kristi Noem were being evaluated for a promotion now, and she could present data showing that no undocumented individuals released into the U.S. have re-crossed in 10 consecutive months, that nearly 3 million foreign nationals have departed the United States, that we’ve achieved the lowest murder rate in 125 years, that fentanyl trafficking at the border has dropped by 50%, and daily encounters have decreased by 96%.” As other panelists attempted to interject, she pressed on, “We require robust border security, especially with the current global climate, and while you might claim opposition to border control and ICE, I genuinely doubt that reflects your personal everyday beliefs.”
Hasselbeck then addressed the studio audience, asking them to raise their hands if they underwent security screening to enter. She then added, “This is an authorized audience. They had to clear security to cross the threshold and be here just to hear us speak. We need strong borders now more than ever. We are facing infiltration.”
Sunny Hostin subsequently confronted Hasselbeck, questioning the relevance of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both American citizens, to border issues. After accusing Hasselbeck of minimizing these facts, an accusation Hasselbeck refuted, Hostin declared, “Secretary Noem is utterly unfit for her position. She possesses zero empathy.”
The discussion then dissolved into a significant back-and-forth between Hasselbeck and Hostin. Hasselbeck highlighted that Noem’s role had received Congressional confirmation, while Hostin pointed out that undocumented immigrants are not frequently convicted of crimes.
Sara Haines then intervened, pushing back on Hasselbeck’s viewpoint, asserting that Noem has “taken a truly valid and bipartisan concern—immigration and systemic reform—and tarnished its perception.”
Hasselbeck countered, suggesting this was simply “due to media portrayal.”
Haines disagreed, stating, “As a woman, and you should connect with this, if a man approaches me with a mask and a weapon, my instinct is fight or flight. If there’s a knock on my door in the middle of the night. So, the method of execution is the problematic aspect.”
Hasselbeck, however, remained resolute. “I understand. I also believe in a God who established borders. Our nation has borders for sound reasons. It pains me deeply that people are dying in this situation. My heart truly aches for it.” She then proceeded to list individuals tragically killed by undocumented immigrants, such as Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungary.
Whoopi Goldberg concluded the segment by arguing that Joe Biden had attempted to advance a bipartisan immigration bill during his presidency, but “You Know Who” instructed his Congressional supporters to block it, preventing its passage.
The View, airing weekdays, 11a/10c, on ABC
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