By Charles Switzer
1:13pm PST, Feb 27, 2025
Joy Behar Targets Elon Musk in Heated Rant
The View, co-host
Joy Behar took aim at
Elon Musk on Thursday, February 26, accusing him of essentially running the country for President
Donald Trump. She further escalated her criticism by bringing up Musk's South African roots, claiming he had a "pro-Apartheid" mentality.
"The guy was not born in this country who was born under apartheid in South Africa. So [he] has that mentality going on. He was pro-apartheid, as I understand it," Behar said.
The comments immediately sparked controversy, given that Musk has never expressed support for apartheid.
Here's how the outspoken host's remarks and subsequent backlash unfolded.
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Awkward Walk-Back After Commercial Break
Following a commercial break, Behar was forced to clarify her remarks, though her correction remained vague. "Now I'm getting some flack because I said that Musk was pro-Apartheid. I don't really know for sure if he was," she admitted.
The comedian attempted to justify her initial comments by noting that Musk grew up during
South Africa's apartheid era, but conceded that "maybe he was, maybe he wasn't."
She ended her revision with a half-hearted joke, saying, "So don't be suing me, okay, Elon?" The backtracking drew mixed reactions, with some questioning why she made the claim in the first place.
Social Media Reactions
Behar's comments quickly went viral, igniting strong reactions across social media.
Conservative commentator
Ben Shapiro blasted her statement on X, tweeting, "Joy Behar just casually calling Elon Musk pro-Apartheid with ZERO evidence. This is why no one takes mainstream media seriously."
Another X user pointed out the reckless nature of her remarks, writing, "This is exactly why people don't trust
The View. They say whatever they want and only correct themselves after a break when no one is paying attention."
Meanwhile, some liberal users defended Behar, arguing that Musk's controversial political stances invite scrutiny. "Whether Musk was personally pro-Apartheid or not, his political actions today show he doesn't believe in democracy," one post read.
Musk Responds with Sarcasm
Musk himself caught wind of Behar's rant and took to his platform to respond. In a characteristically blunt post on X, he wrote, "So now I'm pro-Apartheid? Lol. Next, they'll say I founded apartheid itself."
Musk has long been critical of mainstream media and has frequently called out what he sees as
misinformation about him. His response was met with a flurry of support from his followers, with many mocking Behar's misstep.
'The View's' History of Fact-Checking Issues
This isn't the first time The View has come under fire for airing questionable claims. The show's co-hosts have repeatedly had to issue clarifications after making inflammatory statements. Critics argue that their pattern of making bold accusations, only to backtrack later, damages their credibility.
As social media continues "to hold mainstream outlets accountable, incidents like these serve as reminders of how misinformation — intentional or not— can spread rapidly in the digital age," one political commentator on Facebook shared.
