Twice cohosts of “The View” were at odds Thursday when discussing President Donald Trump’s pledge provide bonus checks to active military members in time for Christmas.
Trump made the announcement in his address to the nation Wednesday night, per Mediaite.
“Tonight, I am also proud to announce that more than 1,450,000 — think of this —1,450,000 military service members will receive a special, we call ‘warrior dividend,’ before Christmas, a warrior dividend in honor of our nation’s founding in 1776,” Trump said. “We are sending every soldier $1,776. Think of that, and the checks are already on the way…We made a lot more money than anybody thought because of tariffs, and the Bill helped us along. Nobody deserves it more than our military, and I say: congratulations, everybody.”
Alyssa Farah Griffin praised Trump by saying, “The one thing I’ll give him credit is bonus to troops and giving them $1700.”
Whoopi Goldberg was not so quick to heap on the praise.
“Let’s see if they get the check. I want to see if they get it first,” Goldberg said.
Griffin harkened back to the hardships during the government shutdown.
“Listen, coming off the government shutdown and the delay that they all had — they got back pay — but people need help,” Griffin said. “But all Americans need help right now and just a handout isn’t the answer. Smart policies are the answer.”
“And what he’s doing now is he’s thinking, if I make sure the soldiers have what they need they’ll back me and what I want, see?” Goldberg countered.
The bonuses will come in the form of a basic allowance for housing (BAH) supplement, which will not be taxed, officials told “The Hill.”
The money will come from The One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The act appropriated $2.9 billion to the Pentagon to supplement the basic allowance for housing (BAH.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth disbursed $2.6 billion as part of the “warrior dividend.”
Trump suggested in his speech that revenue from his tariffs will help pay for the checks.
