The View co-host Joy Behar made a controversial claim about Elon Musk, calling the South African billionaire “pro-apartheid” during a rant about his ties to President Donald Trump. Behar’s remarks quickly drew attention and backlash, leading her to issue an on-air apology shortly after.
During the discussion, Behar criticized Musk’s relationship with Trump and implied that Musk’s upbringing in apartheid-era South Africa had influenced his worldview. “The guy was not born in this country, who was born under apartheid in South Africa,” Behar said. “So, he has that mentality going on. He was pro-apartheid, as I understand it.”
Behar later admitted she had no solid evidence to back up her claim that Musk had supported apartheid.
“Now I’m getting some flack because I said that Musk was pro-apartheid,” Behar said. “I don’t really know for sure if he was.” She went on to explain that while Musk had grown up during the height of apartheid in South Africa, it was unclear whether he personally supported the regime. “He was around at that time, but maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t — he might have been a young guy, too,” Behar added.
Behar, likely aware of the potential legal consequences of her unsubstantiated accusation, jokingly warned Musk not to sue her. “So, don’t be suing me, okay Elon?”
Elon, however, was unmoved by the display, and wrote on X replying to the clip, “Maybe it’s time to sue.”
While Behar’s apology was lighthearted in tone, it did little to soothe critics who saw the retraction as insufficient. Many expressed frustration over her initial statement and the apology’s lack of sincerity. “Doesn’t sound like an apology. Sounds more like CYA because she is open to being sued and has said as much,” one commenter on X (formerly Twitter) remarked.
Other viewers took issue with Behar’s habit of making unverified claims on-air. One user wrote, “If a person does NOT know something for certain or not, they should not go on blabbering about it & associate someone by name—then request that person doesn’t sue them.” Another commenter expressed exasperation, calling for legal action, saying, “I wish someone would not just ask them to apologize for their lies and actually just sue the s*** out of them! How many times is this now?”
Just weeks earlier, Behar and co-host Whoopi Goldberg mocked Musk’s four-year-old son, X, after the child made a viral appearance with his father at a White House press event, laughing at the unconventional name.
The apology and the surrounding controversy highlight a broader issue with public figures making unfounded or exaggerated statements, especially when they target influential people like Musk. For many, Behar’s retraction felt less like a genuine apology and more like a tactical maneuver to avoid legal repercussions while leaving her original claim unaddressed.
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She should be sued, fired and sent to where ever she wants to go, as long as it’s out of the country and will not be allowed back in.
“Whoopie” has the audacity to make fun of someone else’s name. What’s her middle name ? Cushion? The view people are some of the most ignorant any where.. Maybe this phasing out thing that is eliminating crap, will find it’s way to the view. We want to know details of sonny’s husband’s criminal activity. Or has that all been bought and paid for and swept away?
The actual reason this insane, unnecessary entity, who keeps popping up spewing poison with every tilt of her head, did NOT apologize because she felt she had did not enough information, which she obviously didn’t, but because Musk threatened to sue her ass, and she knew she would LOSE BIG
Sue her sour ass.