Whoopi Goldberg defies legal warning on air — Rips up a note telling her to stop saying Trump uses an autopen

New York, NY – On November 3, The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg, 69, dramatically ripped up a legal note passed by Sunny Hostin, 57, after joking about President Donald Trump using an autopen, insisting, “It was a joke!” and lamenting the loss of nuance in public discourse.

The tense moment, during a discussion of the 34-day government shutdown and Trump’s fixation on Joe Biden’s alleged autopen use, highlighted Goldberg’s frustration with literal interpretations, especially amid Trump’s ongoing attacks on the show and its hosts.

The Note-Passing Clash

As the panel addressed Trump’s refusal to display Biden’s portrait in the White House “Presidential Walk of Fame”—replaced by an autopen image between two Trump portraits—Goldberg quipped about Trump “using an autopen.”

Hostin, a former federal prosecutor, slid a blue index card across the table. Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin exclaimed, “I love when Sunny passes notes!”

Goldberg reacted sharply: “What the hell? What?” Hostin clarified, “We don’t know if Trump used an autopen.” Goldberg tore up the note, calling it “ridiculous,” and told the audience, “The hardest thing about this job now is no one understands nuance. When you hear a joke… I’m very specific when I’m pointing stuff out. When I’m making jokes, you know when I’m making jokes.”

Trump has repeatedly questioned Biden’s autopen use for pardons and bills, claiming it invalidated actions, per August Truth Social posts, though autopens are standard for presidents since Eisenhower, per the National Archives.

Trump’s Ongoing Feud with Goldberg

The exchange echoes Trump’s May mockery of Goldberg on Truth Social, reposting a meme claiming she’d flee to Canada if he won, captioning, “Canada doesn’t want you Whoopi, NOBODY DOES!!!” Goldberg fired back on The View: “Look—I’m not going anywhere… And it’s not for the reason, you little snowflake… I got a contract.” Her deal runs through 2027.

Trump’s “Walk of Fame,” installed October outside the West Wing, features 45 presidential portraits but omits Biden’s, replaced by the autopen graphic.

The View moment unfolds amid the shutdown’s 34th day, with Republicans rejecting ACA subsidy extensions, risking 4 million losing coverage. Trump’s November 1, veto threat has stalled a continuing resolution.

On X, liberals like @ViewFans posted, “Whoopi’s right—jokes need space, not notes!” while conservatives like @MAGA_TV countered, “Goldberg’s Trump obsession—get facts straight!”

NEW: The View’s Whoopi Goldberg rips up a note that was handed to her after ABC forced her to issue a legal correction live.

The moment came after Goldberg claimed Trump was using an autopen.

“What the hell? What?” Goldberg said when she was handed the paper.

“We don’t know if… pic.twitter.com/DNFpc2uhqR

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 3, 2025

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Goldberg’s outburst risks alienating legal-focused viewers, with The View ratings dipping 8% in Q3 2025, per Nielsen. Her November 10, monologue on media literacy is planned. As Trump escalates culture wars, with an October FCC probe into ABC over “bias,” The View remains a liberal lightning rod.

The shutdown’s resolution, targeted for November 15, House vote, could sway public opinion, shaping 2026 midterms.