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The hosts of The View may not be tuning in to Carrie Underwood's upcoming performance at Trump's inauguration — but they believe she has the right to do it.
When discussing Underwood's decision to sing "America the Beautiful" at president-elect Donald Trump's inauguration next week — a move that instantly made headlines and received swift backlash from fans — Whoopi Goldberg said on The View Tuesday that she supports Underwood's choice.
"I stand behind her," the EGOT winner, 69, told her co-hosts on the Tuesday, January 14 episode of the morning show. "If I believe I have the right to make up my mind to go perform some place, I believe [she has] the same right."
"I have to support," Goldberg continued. "It doesn't mean I'm particularly interested. I won't be watching, but that's just me."
While her co-hosts Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin — the latter of whom served as the director of communications under Trump's 2016 to 2020 administration — may not approve of Underwood's choice, they all agreed she has the right to perform where she pleases.
Though Behar, 82, revealed she would "not normalize" Trump's presidency if she had been asked to take the stage at his swearing in, the longtime View moderator noted that she would "not be the person" to tell someone they couldn't perform at the inauguration, even if she doesn't agree with the decision.
Hostin — who said she'd give Trump a "hard no" if she were a singer who was asked to perform at the event — acknowledged that "art is art and you have a right to perform where you want to perform."
Griffin, who has denounced Trump since her tenure under his administration — and who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election — opined that people "cancel people's livelihood because we don't like their politics."
"If you have a problem, you register your complaint by not downloading her songs and not going to her shows," she suggested. "But, I also think from a business standpoint, it's not a bad decision for Carrie Underwood."
Griffin, for her part, also noted she will not be watching the inauguration and will instead be treating herself to a "spa day."
Underwood, 41, released a statement on Monday, January 13, about her upcoming performance.
"I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event," the "Before He Cheats" artist said. "I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future."
Trump's inauguration, which will also feature a performance by Underwood's fellow country star Jason Aldean, will be held at the White House on Monday, January 20.
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