The View guest co-host Sara Eisen defended Donald Trump’s decision to take the U.S. into war with Iran, prompting laughter from the audience and pushback from the panel.
CNBC news anchor Eisen, 41, is standing in this week for regular co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who is currently on maternity leave. During Wednesday’s segment of the talk show, Eisen addressed the director of the National Counterterrorism Center’s recent decision to step down from his post.
Joe Kent announced his resignation on X, writing he could not “in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran” because Iran posed “no imminent threat to our nation.” He added that it was “clear” that the U.S. war on Iran had been started “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Reacting to Kent’s message, Eisen said: “I think it’s disrespectful and wrong to assume that the United States and the president — especially this president, whatever you think of him — does not act on his own agency and on behalf of the United States of America.”
Fellow co-hosts Sara Haines and Whoopi Goldberg jumped in, laughing and arguing that most of Trump’s decisions are driven by self-interest. “I think we have to call this what it is,” Eisen continued before co-host Sunny Hostin interrupted to ask: “This corrupt president, you don’t think he acts on his own benefit?”
Joe Kent resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center over America’s involvement in the Iran war (The Tucker Carlson Show)
‘The View’ guest co-host Sara Eisen (left) defended President Trump against claims he ‘acts on his own benefit’ (ABC/Getty)
“I’m saying he acts — he does not get coerced by other nations like Israel,” Eisen replied, as the studio audience broke into laughter.
“Really?!” Hostin said in disbelief. “If that helps you sleep at night, that’s great,” she added with a sly grin.
Eisen further insisted that Kent’s messaging perpetuated the “old school, antisemitic trope to blame the Jews and to blame Israel.”
“It’s as old as time,” she continued. “When you’ve got problems in the world, blame the media, blame the bankers, blame the Jews. And it is flat-out antisemitic, absolutely. I think we should call it what it is.”
Clarifying that it was Kent’s statement and withdrawal that she felt were antisemitic, she noted: “He does not blame the president. He blames Israel.”
The Independent has contacted Kent’s representative for comment.
Eisen is best known for co-anchoring CNBC’s Squawk on the Street and Money Movers. She is serving as a replacement guest this week for Farah Griffin, who has been on maternity leave since giving birth to her first child in February.
A series of conservative guest hosts, including Savannah Chrisley and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, have been filling in for Farah Griffin, one of the talk show’s main Republican voices.
