‘The View’ co-host Joy Behar claims Trump is not a ‘legitimate president,’ sides with Dems skipping SOTU

“The View” co-host Joy Behar said President Donald Trump was not a legitimate president during the show on Tuesday and sided with Democrats choosing to not attend the State of the Union (SOTU) address.

Co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Sara Haines disagreed and thought Democrats should show up and show decorum, despite, as Hostin argued, Trump lacking decorum.

“I disagree because I don’t think that he’s really that — he’s a legitimate president. In my lifetime, and that includes Nixon and Reagan — both conservative Republicans that I did not vote for, neither one of them have, would behave the way this man behaves,” Behar stated.

Hostin pushed Behar to elaborate and note that she was not suggesting he was not duly elected, but rather was illegitimate based on his actions.

“The View” co-host Joy Behar during the show on Feb. 24, 2026. (ABC/TheView)

“He lacks any kind of sense about what he is supposed to do,” Behar added. “So, the only way that they can make a point is not showing up.”

She referenced House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries arguing that Trump was coming to “our house,” in comments to reporters last week, according to The Hill, and saying, “It’s my view that you don’t let anyone ever run you off of your block.”

However, Behar disagreed.

SEN ADAM SCHIFF SAYS HE’LL SKIP THE STATE OF THE UNION FOR THE FIRST TIME, SLAMMING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’

President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room of the White House, on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (Evan Vucci/AP)

“Sometimes you have to, to make your point, to show that you do not consider that person worthy of your presence,” Behar said.

Hostin said earlier in the conversation, “Just because this president doesn’t have decorum doesn’t mean that members of Congress shouldn’t do their duty, which is to show up and listen. I don’t think they should, they should behave inappropriately.”

A number of Democrats will instead attend the “People’s State of the Union” event held near the Lincoln Memorial.

The event, described as a rally, is organized by MeidasTouch and MoveOn Civic Action, a pair of left-leaning media and activist groups, and will focus on criticisms of Trump’s first year back in office.

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United States House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks during a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 20, 2025.   (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

On the House side, Democrats attending will include Reps. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., Becca Balint, D-Vt., Greg Casar, D-Texas, Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., John Larson, D-Conn., Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., Emily Randall, D-Wash., and Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-N.J.

A smaller group of Democrats has announced that they will be skipping the State of the Union but will not be attending the counter event.

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Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, for instance, have made plans to stay at home.

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