The View hosts Whoopi Goldberg and Alyssa Farah Griffin defended Janet Jackson after recent backlash for a comment she made about Vice President Kamala Harris during her interview with The Guardian.

In the interview, Jackson was asked about her political stance as the 2024 presidential election approaches. The interviewer noted “America could be on the verge of voting in its first Black female president.”

Jackson responded, “Well, you know what they supposedly said? She’s not Black. That’s what I heard—that she’s Indian. Her father’s White. That’s what I was told. I mean, I haven’t watched the news in a few days.”

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Goldberg expressed sympathy for Jackson, noting she never claimed to be a “political animal” and is currently grieving the loss of her brother. The host emphasized Jackson is a prominent musician dedicated to her craft, not to politics.

Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5 died last Monday.

“She made a mistake,” Goldberg said. “She was wrong. It happens. Anybody who says it doesn’t happen to every one of us, multiracial or not, we all do it. So, okay, a little grace for the girl.”

Griffin also defended Jackson, stating she is a legend and expressed she would not speak negatively about her. She suggests Jackson may have received misinformation from the news.

“The algorithm is monetized, going to tee up information that reinforces your own beliefs,” Griffin said. “If you’re a Trump supporter online, you very likely won’t ever encounter some of the worst things that he has said. The same does go for the left.”

Sara Haines added misinformation and disinformation is a great risk, not just in our country but globally.

Haines said internal figures like Donald Trump, who coined the term “fake news,” regularly spread false stories intentionally. Additionally, foreign adversaries, such as Russia, have been found to pay millions to content creators to promote misinformation.

“The big message here is a return to journalism 101,” Haines said. “You should never rely on a single source for a story. In journalism, we’re always taught to back up our claims. Despite the criticism the media often receives, we can face serious consequences, including getting fired, for failing to verify our sources.”

Host Sunny Hostin, who is biracial herself, discussed the challenges of fitting into a specific category without acknowledging Jackson. She praised Harris for wisely choosing not to give the comments any “air.”

“I think Kamala is breaking barriers just by being in the room, regardless of whether Janet Jackson thinks she’s Black, White, or Indian,” Hostin said. “The very fact that she is in the room deconstructs the alleged societal norms we’ve seen in nearly 250 years of this country regarding what a presidential candidate looks like.”

Has Janet Jackson Apologized?

On Sunday, following backlash over the comments, Buzzfeed published an apology that seemed to be from Jackson’s representatives. The statement was attributed to Mo Elmasri who claimed to be her manager. According to the publication, he had previously made comments to the media on behalf of Jackson.

“She deeply respects Vice President Kamala Harris and her accomplishments as a Black and Indian woman,” the so-called apology read.

“Janet apologizes for any confusion caused and acknowledges the importance of accurate representation in public discourse. We appreciate the opportunity to address this and will remain committed to promoting unity.”

However, Variety reported later Jackson was managed by her brother Randy and had been for many years. It also reported they declined to comment on the fiasco because they were mourning the passing of their brother Tito who died on September 15.