Exclusive | ABC brass scramble to bring pro-Trump voices to ‘The View’ and other shows: ‘Panic mode’

ABC News is in “panic mode” as it searches for conservative voices to balance the rabid anti-Trump rhetoric spewed by hosts on “The View” and those on other shows, The Post has learned.

The Disney-owned network, which came under fire for how ABC News moderators grilled Donald Trump during the presidential debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, has held high-level meetings since last week’s attack. passed by the former president, said sources close to the situation. Post office.

ABC News Group President Debra O’Connell and her recently promoted ABC News boss Almin Karamehmedovic held intensive meetings with executive producers of various network shows and other senior editorial executives, the sources said.

First on the agenda, according to an insider, is finding a pro-Trump panelist for his top-rated daytime talk show, co-hosted by ultra-liberals Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines, as well as Republican Trump. -Bashers Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin.

“The view is facing pressure from the highest levels,” the source said. “Viewers can expect some big changes including bringing in new panelists who may bring a pro-Trump perspective.”

The source did not signal whether one of the current panelists would jump or if the already crowded table would add a seventh seat.

“Everyone on ‘The View’ endorsed Kamala Harris. They lost. They have no connection to America,” the source said.

“For a show about different points of view, ‘The View’ doesn’t seem to have any when it comes to Trump. ABC bosses don’t want to alienate the pro-Trump demographic.”

A second source with knowledge said the expected network-wide shakeup comes after executives were caught “flat-footed” about the nation’s pro-Trump sentiment.

“We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to cover the next 4 years when everyone inside ABC News is on one side,” the person said, speaking broadly about the network, which is also home to “Good Morning America.” ​and “World News Tonight”. .

“The View is an opinion-based show that features a diverse panel of women with different perspectives — the current panel is clearly resonating with audiences given that the series just had its highest-rated episode in more than a decade and achieved a 4-year high in total viewers,” an ABC spokesperson told The Post in a statement.

The first source said the ABC pivot could ruffle feathers with “The View’s” top talent.

In the days since the election, hosts have been outspoken about their disdain for the country’s decision to re-elect Trump.

“The question is what will happen to Whoopis and Joys if they bring in a Trumpster?” the source said.

Goldberg — the show’s longest-serving permanent co-host, who joined the program in 2007 — said the day after the election that her policy against saying Trump’s name is not changing.

“He’s now president,” she said. “I will not say his name yet. That’s not going to change.”

The “Sister Act” star has refused to say Trump’s name on “The View” since he first took office in 2016, explaining that she “can’t” put the word “President” in front of the name Trump.

Meanwhile, the other co-hosts have also expressed their disappointment, with the host saying she was “deeply disturbed” by the results.

The host also blamed “uneducated white women” for Kamala Harris’ election loss in a widely shared video.

“I think [Trump’s victory] it wasn’t about politics, I think this was a referendum on the cultural discontent in this country,” she said.

“Black women tried to save this country again, last night… what we don’t have are white women, who voted about 52% for Donald Trump — uneducated white women is my understanding. You actually have Latino men voting more for him,” Hostin added.

Former co-host Meghan McCain, whose father John McCain lost to Barack Obama in 2008, blasted her old colleagues for their reaction to Trump’s victory.

“Respectfully, please do not send me clips from ‘The View,'” McCain wrote on X last week. “It’s radical progressive madness and that’s why I left years ago.”

She also called out the show for not having a “single conservative woman” on the panel during the election cycle.

“It’s a real malpractice by ABC News that there’s not a single conservative woman on ‘The View’ this morning who voted for Trump or simply isn’t challenged by his supporters to explain to America why he’s still so popular.” . “, she wrote.

Media watchers expect rival networks to follow suit and bring in more Trump-friendly voices not only to appear on air but also to help produce TV shows.

One media expert cited the increasingly anemic ratings of left-leaning networks like MSNBC and CNN, while conservative Fox News continues to outperform both.

When it comes to “The View,” however, the anti-Trump sentiment is undeniable for the hosts, who are focused on maintaining the show’s ratings and ad revenue.

“Ultimately, these changes are not about politics. They are about the economy,” the person told The Post. “Trump got more than half of the votes. Networks must find pro-Trump voices and diversify viewpoints to reflect the diverse perspectives of Americans.”