Whoopi Goldberg slams Fox News host for Taylor Swift conspiracy theory

Whoopi Goldberg didn't hold back in her criticism of Fox News anchor Jesse Watters over his conspiracy theory about Taylor Swift.

The 68-year-old Oscar-winning actress shared her views on the matter during Thursday's show of The View where the panel discussed Watters's suggestion that the pop star could be a government asset that could act as a “PSYOP for combatting online misinformation”.

"There are real issues impacting millions of Americans," Goldberg said. "Reproductive rights, racism, health care costs, income disparity and gun violence – just to name a few."

“But this is what the Fox News folks wanted viewers to be worried about during their primetime broadcast on Tuesday," she said as the clip from the news channel was played.

"Have you ever wondered why or how she blew up like this?" Watters asked during the segment.

"Well, around four years ago, the Pentagon's Psychological Operations unit floated turning Taylor Swift into an asset during a NATO meeting. What kind of asset? A PsyOp for combatting online misinformation."

The Fox News anchor goes on to suggest that Swift urges her fanbase to go out and vote in elections is evidence that she is being controlled by the government, and asked which White House official “got” Swift to do this.

The clip prompted laughter in The View studio but Goldberg was unimpressed as she clapped back at Watters.

"You know, I have to say, when we talk about snowflakes, you people worry about the weirdest stuff. She got people to go out and vote, including probably all kinds of people that you’d rather not have voting," she said, as the audience applauded her in agreement.

She added: “But you know what? We’re going to continue to suggest that folks who have the wherewithal to say ‘Hey, if you want to make a change in the world, go ahead and go out and vote, that’s our biggest thing.’ If she can get people to do that, why would you say that was a bad thing or talk about it like you’re disparaging it? What kind of bull**** bologna. What kind of bologna is that?”

Co-host Sunny Hostin also believes as Swift started off her music career performing country music, it caused conservatives to believe she aligned with their political beliefs and were surprised when she expressed her liberal beliefs in 2018 when she endorsed two Democrat candidates at the midterm elections.

"I think the Jesse Watters of the world thought that she was their princess," Hostin said.

"She was in support of March for Our Lives against gun violence, she supported the LGBTQ community in her music videos, and then [she's] pro-choice, and then she said [go] vote. They picked the wrong princess."

“You know who their princess is? Marjorie Taylor Greene,” fellow co-host Joy Behar quipped.

To which Goldberg noted just how fed up she is about it all: "I’m tired of dumb people, I’m tired of dumb people. I’m just – I’m tired of it, I can’t handle it."

The Pentagon has also criticised Fox News's claim in a statement to Politico (and included some Swift-based puns for good measure).

"As for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off. But that does highlight that we still need Congress to approve our supplemental budget request as Swift-ly as possible so we can be out of the woods with potential fiscal concerns," it read.

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