The co-hosts of The View sharply criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to issue full pardons to reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley.
The couple, known for their show Chrisley Knows Best, had been serving lengthy prison sentences for tax evasion and bank fraud involving more than $30 million.
“This is not normal. This is not honest. This is not ethical,” co-host Ana Navarro said on The View Wednesday. “Basically, there’s a ‘For Sale’ sign on the lawn of the White House.”
“If you’re a supporter, if you’re a donor, then you can buy pardons,” Navarro continued. “And it’s not happening in a vacuum — it’s happening while he’s accepting a $400 million jet.”
Co-host Whoopi Goldberg opened the segment by showing clips of Trump’s phone call to Savannah Chrisley, who posted about the moment she learned her parents would be freed. The montage also included past scenes of the Chrisleys boasting about their extravagant lifestyle, including spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year on designer clothing.
“Is anybody gonna have a problem with this?” Goldberg asked, questioning if Americans had grown numb to Trump’s use of pardons.
“I sure as hell do,” Navarro responded. “And Americans need to stop normalizing this behavior.”
Co-host Joy Behar highlighted what she called the administration’s double standard: “If you’re a rich reality star, a tax cheat who commits fraud — that’s good. You get a pardon. But poor people on Medicaid or food stamps? According to this administration, those are the real moochers in the country.”
Referring to the Chrisleys, she added, “I’ve never seen the show. Just clips of this guy running around being rich. He gets let off the hook. Meanwhile, everyday people who need help get ignored.”
Co-host Sara Haines shared a warning that Trump’s frequent controversies create a “flood-the-zone” effect.
“When you yell at everything, nobody hears anything,” she said. “There’s a strategy to picking your battles.”
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin noted how Trump’s defenders might rationalize the move: “Supporters will say the last president pardoned his entire family. It all feels like typical Washington swampiness.”
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In closing, Goldberg pointed viewers to the Constitution as a moral compass.
“There are things you just don’t do in America. The Constitution says it,” she said. “If it’s not good for anybody, it’s not good for everybody.”