'We have to be the example we don't have': 'The View' talks Trump praising Gianforte, Khashoggi's disappearance

The hosts discussed Trump's praising Gianforte and the outrage over Khashoggi.

October 19, 2018, 4:28 PM

Hours after Donald Trump told reporters "it certainly looks" like missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi is dead, the president praised a Montana congressman for attacking a reporter.

"The View" co-hosts discussed both controversial topics Friday.

During Congressman Greg Gianforte's special election in May last year, he was caught on audio tape assaulting a reporter in his campaign office.

To cheers at a "Make America Great Again" rally Thursday in Montana, Trump threw his support behind Gianforte.

"Any guy that can do a body slam," he told the crowd, "he is my type!"

"The View" co-hosts discussed today the significance of the president's comments amid outrage over Khashoggi's disappearance.
ABC

"The View" co-hosts, however, said the president's message was ill-timed.

"This is not the time to be condoning violence," Sunny Hostin said.

Meghan McCain agreed, saying his comments are "incredibly tone deaf."

"I hold everyone to a standard: the president and the press. Let's rise above this," McCain said. "If he can't be the example, we have to be the example we don't have."

Meghan McCain and Sunny Hostin discuss the president's praise of Congressman Gianforte on "The View," Oct. 19, 2018.
ABC

Abby Huntsman points out the comments are unsurprising from the president: "In general this is the way he talks about tough guys —- he loves guys that are tough!"

"They feel like, finally, they have someone that fights for them, that stands up to the media," Huntsman says of Trump supporters.