Overview
- Audio dropped on the December 3 episode as Sara Haines repeated Trump’s language, after which she said “Sorry, Brian” to executive producer Brian Teta and clarified she was quoting him.
- Whoopi Goldberg repeated the same term from the clip without being censored before asking whether demonizing immigrants remains an effective tactic for Trump.
- The panel had just aired Trump asserting that Somali immigrants in Minnesota cost the state “billions,” calling them “garbage” and saying they “do nothing but b****.”
- Haines argued the topic should focus on a large pandemic-era fraud case in Minnesota, citing 59 convictions and over $1 billion, and said Trump wrongly cast blame on Somalis.
- Coverage noted the discussion referenced Christopher Rufo’s City Journal claims about stolen funds reaching al-Shabab, which NPR has described as unsubstantiated and based on unnamed sources.