Whoopi Goldberg clarifies warning to Donald Trump about avoiding stairways: 'It was lighthearted'

Whoopi Goldberg cleared the air regarding a joke she made about President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday's episode of The View.

During a discussion about Trump's recent rejection of a bipartisan plan to prevent a government shutdown, the cohosts joked about Vice President-elect J.D. Vance and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has been tapped to lead the newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency under the Trump administration, plotting to overtake the White House.

"Stay away from the stairways," quipped Goldberg. "'Cause people put their leg out to trip you going down the stairs. Watch out!”

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After a commercial break, Goldberg clarified that she did not intend harm with the joke. “I need to clear something up," began Goldberg. "My cat lays in wait for me on my stairs all the time, and that’s what I was referring to. I was thinking of that. I wasn’t trying to indicate that they were actually standing there with their legs out, hoping he would trip.”

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"No, nobody wants anything done to the president," said Sunny Hostin.

“It was lighthearted, and it’s the holidays, come on!" replied Goldberg. "My goodness.”

Added Hostin, "You did not mean that anybody should hurt the president. Of course not.”

“No," said Goldberg. "The thing about this show, there is no way not to step in poo. There’s no way to do it. So for all of you who are saying, ‘Oh my God, listen to what she said!’ I got a cat who does it to me every day, and that’s what sparked it.”

The initial joke came after Goldberg noted that Vance has not been in the public eye as much in recent weeks. “I don’t know what J.D. is doing," said Goldberg. "I don’t remember the last time we even talked about J.D." Quipped Joy Behar in response, "He’s planning the presidency when they get rid of Trump."

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Trump won a second-term presidency against current VP Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz last month. For the first episode back following the election, the cohosts wore all black and reacted to the news. "My takeaway is that the system works. We live in a democracy. People spoke. This is what people wanted," said Behar. "I vehemently disagree with the decision that Americans made. But, I feel very, very hopeful that we have a democratic system in this country. We should value it, we should love it."

Hostin said she was "profoundly disturbed" by the results. "I worry about the working class, I worry about my mother, a retired teacher," said Hostin. "I worry about our elderly and their Social Security and Medicare. I worry about my children's future. I worry about my daughter, who now has less rights than I have." Alyssa Farah Griffin called for unity. "This is a country that there is truly more that unites us than divides us," she said. "I know it doesn't feel like that for many people in this moment, but we need to bring down the temperature, the name-calling, the demonizing."

"We're still here," concluded Goldberg. "When I got out of the car today.... I saw mailmen, people with their kids, I saw people walking around drinking what is the coffee stuff, Starbucks. I saw people living their lives, and that's what we have to do."

The View airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. PT on ABC.

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