Whoopi Goldberg backs Knicks White House visit

During a discussion on the June 18 episode of "The View," co-host Whoopi Goldberg voiced support for the newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks to accept an invitation to visit President Donald Trump at the White House. Goldberg, a longtime critic of the president, framed the potential visit as an opportunity for the team's Black and Latino players to represent resilience and reclaim a sense of ownership over a national institution.

The debate followed confirmation from Knicks owner James Dolan, a friend of Trump's, that the team had accepted the White House's invitation. This marks a departure from recent tradition, as the five previous NBA championship teams during Trump's administration declined similar visits. The team's historic victory, clinching its first title in 53 years on June 13, has now sparked a public conversation about the intersection of sports, politics, and racial identity.

Goldberg argued passionately for the team's attendance, stating she wanted "all those Black men to stand in our house" to remind political leaders that attempting to erase one part of history erases all of it. She emphasized the symbolic power of the players, as champions who overcame...