Claim: On The View, Whoopi Goldberg stated, “It was about time we heard [Trump] give the Gold Star families their due,” implying that Memorial Day 2025 was the first time President Trump publicly honored them.
Rating: False
The Facts:
Contrary to Goldberg’s assertion, President Donald Trump has publicly and repeatedly honored Gold Star families throughout his time in office—from his first year in office in 2017 to multiple formal proclamations, events, and ceremonies.
Key Examples:
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2017 Memorial Day Speech: Trump honored Gold Star families in his first Memorial Day address at Arlington National Cemetery, stating:
“To every Gold Star family, we are eternally grateful for your sacrifice, and we can never repay the debt we owe you.”
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2020 Proclamation on Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day:
“Gold Star Families deserve our utmost respect, admiration, and support for their tenacity and resilience, and for the work they do to preserve the memory of those who gave their lives to our Nation.”
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White House Events: As Alyssa Farrah Griffin correctly noted during the segment, Trump hosted Gold Star families at the White House during his first term, including solemn meetings and private commemorations.
Context and Misleading Rhetoric
Goldberg’s vague claim that “the last time we collectively heard him talking about Gold Star Families, it was not positive” appears to be a reference to the widely disputed 2020 Atlantic article claiming Trump disparaged fallen U.S. troops—a story denied by more than a dozen officials who were present and refuted by contemporaneous records and witness accounts.
Media Bias vs. Historical Record
Goldberg’s remarks are not just historically inaccurate—they also reflect the broader issue of media figures spreading partisan narratives while ignoring public records. Her framing ignores the numerous times Trump went out of his way to praise and honor military families, while glossing over Democratic leaders’ own missteps on the issue—such as Joe Biden’s “stupid bastards” comment and Kamala Harris’s “Enjoy the long weekend” post.
Conclusion
Whoopi Goldberg’s claim is factually baseless. President Trump has a documented record of honoring Gold Star families, dating back to the beginning of his presidency. This segment from The View reflects a clear attempt to rewrite history for political purposes, and viewers deserve better than fact-free commentary masquerading as truth.