“The View” co-host Sara Haines apologized to Turning Point USA Wednesday after comments during Monday’s episode that compared the organization to Neo-Nazi demonstrators outside their event last weekend.
During the original episode, co-host Whoopi Goldberg said that Turning Point let the demonstrators in and “knew what they were,” despite the organization allegedly condemning the demonstrators after their Tampa, Florida event.
“You are complicit,” Goldberg said about the organization.
Fox News published a cease-and-desist letter that TPUSA sent to ABC News after the episode, where they pointed out that comments from the show’s co-hosts could have financial consequences for the organization.
“The false statements of fact intentionally made during The View’s July 25th segment were unquestionably harmful to TPUSA’s reputation,” the letter read.
The show’s comments also “brought the organization and its student affiliates into disrepute with the public, potential donors, and current and future business partners,” the letter further stated.
In a statement after the event, TPUSA said they tried to get the demonstrators to leave, but they were on public property.
A spokesperson for TPUSA, Andrew Kolvet, wrote that the group “100% condemns those ideologies in the strongest terms,” and that group members even clashed with the demonstrators.
TPUSA issued the following statement to all press who requested comment: pic.twitter.com/7mUwZa0Bg2
Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) July 26, 2022
“We have no idea who they are or why they were here,” Kolvet said.
Following the backlash, Haines apologized and clarified that the demonstrators had no affiliation with TPUSA.
UPDATE: The View has issued yet another formal correction to TPUSA and its students LIVE on air. The apology was issued by Sara Haines. Whoopi remained silent and has not retracted her comments that TPUSA “metaphorically” embraced “Nazis.” https://t.co/rcTawUTbpX pic.twitter.com/rANUlmXZwO
Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) July 27, 2022
“They were not invited or endorsed by Turning Point USA,” she said. “Turning Point USA wanted us to clarify that this was a Turning Point USA summit and not a Republican Party event. So, we apologize for anything we said that may have been unclear on these points.”
The event hosted by TPUSA did invite former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to attend. Trump, Greene, Gaetz and DeSantis also spoke at the conference, but none mentioned the demonstrators.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Turning Point USA’s (TPUSA) Student Action Summit (SAS) in Tampa, Florida, U.S. July 23, 2022.
Photo: Reuters / Marco Bello
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