Joy Behar is back in the headlines, and not for the reasons she'd hope.
According to Fox News, Behar’s latest claim that Donald Trump “doesn’t really like strong women” sparked a wave of backlash from conservative voices, who saw her comments as tone-deaf and misinformed.
During a segment on "The View," Behar accused Trump of favoring women who are “dutiful” and “obedient,” painting a picture of a former president intimidated by female assertiveness. It’s not the first time Behar’s gone after Trump’s inner circle, but this time, the pushback came swiftly—and from women who know better.
Brett Cooper, host of "The Brett Cooper Show" and newly minted Fox News Media contributor, wasn’t having it. On "Fox & Friends," Cooper called Behar’s assertions “completely ridiculous,” pointing out that Trump’s administration was hardly a boys’ club.
"Trump's entire administration is filled with strong, intelligent women," Cooper said, underscoring the fact that strength and loyalty are not mutually exclusive qualities.
Behar tried to bolster her argument by referencing a moment when Trump lashed out at her over a joke about his hair, insinuating the reaction was rooted in sexism. The narrative? That Trump only claps back when a woman is the one poking fun.
Cooper, unfazed, offered an alternative perspective. “Maybe it’s not the fact that you’re a woman, Joy, but it’s just that you are Joy,” she said. A pretty fair point, considering Behar’s long history of inflammatory remarks about anyone right of center.
She wasn’t alone in her defense. Conservative women have increasingly been targets of dismissal by left-leaning commentators, painted as mindless followers simply because they don’t subscribe to the progressive handbook.
Cooper highlighted this hypocrisy by pointing to former First Lady Melania Trump, someone who has never played the role of passive spouse. “It’s so offensive to say that about her,” Cooper added, reminding viewers of Melania’s multilingualism, published work, and her willingness to challenge her husband privately and publicly.
The roster of powerful women in Trump’s orbit is not exactly short. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, DNI Tulsi Gabbard, Attorney General Pam Bondi, press secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles have all held serious responsibilities in the Trump White House.
Wiles, notably, became the first woman to serve as White House Chief of Staff earlier this year—something that undercuts the very idea that Trump sidelines strong women.
The irony is hard to miss: progressive critics like Behar continue to claim the moral high ground while minimizing the accomplishments of women whose politics they disagree with. In doing so, they inadvertently reinforce the very gender stereotypes they claim to fight.
This isn’t new ground for “The View.” The show has made a habit of recycling anti-Trump narratives, often without much regard for accuracy or fairness. Last year, billionaire Mark Cuban claimed Trump avoided intelligent women because they intimidated him. Sound familiar?
Back then, it was Trump press secretary Karoline Leavitt who fired back, calling Cuban’s remarks “insulting” to the women who serve with distinction in conservative politics.
It’s a pattern. Critics toss out sweeping generalizations, assuming that if a woman supports Trump, she must be weak or manipulated. But what we’re really seeing is a deep misunderstanding—willful or otherwise—of what strength looks like outside the progressive bubble.
