How Whoopi Goldberg Really Felt About Nicolle Wallace Leaving The View

After co-hosting ABC's "The View" for just one season, Nicolle Wallace, a former White House communications director, found herself fired from the daytime talk show. Whoopi Goldberg, who had developed a genuine friendship with Wallace during their short time together on the project, wasn't too keen on the network's decision.

Although Goldberg and Wallace only met in 2014 when Wallace joined the talk show, they formed a real-life connection. In an episode of ABC's "Behind the Table" podcast series, as reported by ABC News, Goldberg gushed about their friendship. "We had great discussions. We didn't always agree and found a way to never, ever, ever disrespect one another," the EGOT winner said of their time working together. Wallace echoed the sentiment, calling Goldberg one of her closest friends. "I am as drawn to you and as committed to you as I was the first time I met you," the political analyst shared. During her last live episode of "The View," per The Hollywood Reporter, Wallace shared, "I've fallen in love at first sight with three people: my husband, my son, and Whoopi Goldberg."

Wallace was initially brought on to represent the Republican perspective on the talk show. Katie Couric, who had previously collaborated with Wallace, told The Los Angeles Times, "[Wallace] brings a lot of credibility because she's not hyper-partisan, and viewers respond to that." However, the impartial approach seems to be exactly what got Wallace in trouble with ABC, resulting in her exit.

At the outset of the final episode of Season 18 for "The View," Whoopi Goldberg made it clear she didn't like that Nicolle Wallace got the boot from ABC. Goldberg said, "My friend Nicolle is leaving our show. You have to ask ABC why," adding, "I can't tell you [why]; I don't know" (via The Hollywood Reporter).

As it turns out, ABC was reportedly dissatisfied with Wallace's performance, citing concerns that she did not represent the Republican side fiercely enough and lacked knowledge about celebrities, Deadline reported. In her interview with The Los Angeles Times, Wallace said that the season she was on simply wasn't controversial enough for her to engage in heated debates. "It really was a casting, and it was a casting they didn't like," she shared, likely alluding to the network's preference for "The View" arguments that went way too far.

The manner in which Wallace was let go only added to the difficulty of the situation. In a talk with Variety, Wallace revealed that nobody from ABC had approached her or communicated any concerns about her performance. "Listen, it's all fair. I wasn't wronged by anybody," Wallace told the magazine, adding, "But I was surprised to learn in the press about their decision not to bring me back." After finally getting in touch, ABC proposed a demotion for Wallace, suggesting she appear on the show only once a week, which she declined.

While Whoopi Goldberg may not have been thrilled about Nicolle Wallace's departure from "The View," Donald Trump certainly took pleasure in it. Citing The Los Angeles Times piece, where Wallace discussed Goldberg's earlier prediction of Trump becoming president and the strong reaction it caused her, Trump took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his opinion. Marking yet another chapter in the public feud between Trump and Wallace, the former POTUS wrote, "She was fired because she was boring and never had what it took." Despite Trump's criticism, Wallace found a new role as the host of MSNBC's "Deadline: White House" in 2017, where she delves into various White House-related topics.

In 2022, Wallace made a return to "The View," albeit only as a guest. As she sat next to Goldberg, she admitted to being on the verge of tears, sharing, "I miss all of this. I was so happy to be here when I walked out." Furthermore, the year before, Wallace surprised Goldberg by appearing as a special guest at the end of an episode filmed just before Goldberg's 66th birthday. When asked about their friendship, Wallace said she loved working with Goldberg every day, to which Goldberg added, "Sometimes you just like people, and it's the greatest thing."