In a moment that left her co-hosts speechless, Whoopi Goldberg shocked the panel on The View by expressing support for President Donald Trump’s proposal to dismantle the federal Department of Education—marking a rare instance of agreement with a Trump administration policy on the left-leaning daytime show.
During a discussion about the future of American education, Goldberg made the case that shutting down the Department of Education might not be a bad thing if it meant putting real power back in the hands of parents and local communities.
“Maybe that is a good thing,” she said. “Because maybe it will force us to make sure our kids actually get what they need. Maybe it’ll force us to go to our states and say, ‘Listen, I’m paying taxes—make sure my kid gets what they deserve.’”
Goldberg went on to argue that local accountability could serve students better than bloated federal bureaucracy. “I don’t have to wait for the government to do it—we can do it. It’s going to be tough, and nobody wants to do it because it’s hard, but when it comes down to survival, you take care of your kids,” she said.
Her comments caused visible discomfort on the panel, with other hosts pausing in stunned silence before the show quickly cut to a commercial break.
The Department of Education has long been a target of President Trump’s America First agenda, with critics pointing to its top-down mandates, wasteful spending, and failure to deliver real results in student achievement. Trump’s plan to eliminate the agency aims to return control to states and parents, allowing school systems to reflect local values—not federal ideology.
Goldberg, who is no stranger to criticizing Trump, appeared to recognize the merit in decentralizing the education system and forcing communities to step up. Her moment of candor was met with surprise online as well, with many noting that even longtime critics of Trump are beginning to acknowledge the appeal of empowering parents over bureaucrats.
For viewers used to the echo chamber of The View, Goldberg’s unexpected defense of Trump’s education policy offered a rare glimpse of bipartisan agreement—however brief. And for Trump supporters, it was confirmation that common-sense reforms are cutting through the noise, even in unlikely places.
Whoopi Goldberg shocked The View by supporting Trump’s controversial proposal to eliminate the Department of Education, leaving the panel speechless as ABC producers abruptly cut to a commercial break. pic.twitter.com/rM8WvBczxC
— Catch Up (@CatchUpFeed) April 15, 2025