Rosie O’Donnell Tells Elisabeth Hasselbeck “I Don’t Hold Back” After Revisiting Their Explosive On-Air Feud from The View
It feels like 2007 all over again. Rosie O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck are once again making headlines nearly two decades after their fiery on-air argument on The View — one that became one of the most talked-about moments in daytime television history. The two women, who once shared the same stage as co-hosts on ABC’s The View, have reignited old tensions as Rosie revisits that infamous clash, claiming it may have been a “setup” from behind the scenes.
The drama first unfolded in May 2007, during a heated segment on the Iraq War. What began as a discussion on patriotism and politics quickly turned personal when O’Donnell criticized U.S. military actions and questioned media narratives, while Hasselbeck passionately defended American troops. The disagreement turned into a shouting match that left audiences stunned and the show’s co-hosts visibly shaken. Shortly after, Rosie left The View — a departure that many fans felt was sparked by that confrontation.
Now, almost twenty years later, the conversation has resurfaced. In a recent interview, O’Donnell spoke candidly about her memories of that day, revealing that she believes the confrontation wasn’t entirely spontaneous. “It felt like a setup,” she said. “I don’t hold back when I speak, but that moment… it wasn’t how it looked on camera.” Her words suggest she felt manipulated by the show’s production team, hinting that the network may have amplified the moment for ratings — something not uncommon in the high-stakes world of daytime television.
Elisabeth Hasselbeck, now 47, responded indirectly through social media, sharing that she’s “moved on” and prefers to focus on her family and faith rather than revisit old conflicts. Still, the renewed attention has drawn fans and critics alike back to the moment that defined both women’s legacies on The View. For longtime viewers, their exchange symbolized more than a political disagreement — it represented a clash of two Americas during one of the most divided eras in modern history.
Rosie, 62, made it clear she holds no personal grudge toward her former co-host but stands by her claim that she was treated unfairly at the time. “I don’t have anything against Elisabeth,” she said. “But I do think that moment was used to pit us against each other. That’s not who I am.” Those words struck a chord with fans who remember O’Donnell as a polarizing yet deeply outspoken figure — one who never shied away from controversy but also never apologized for her authenticity.
The feud between Rosie and Elisabeth has become part of pop culture lore, spawning memes, documentaries, and countless internet debates. It’s a reminder of how daytime talk television in the 2000s was as raw and unpredictable as reality TV — a place where politics, personality, and public perception collided in real time. And for O’Donnell, the experience seems to have left lasting scars, even as she uses humor and honesty to revisit it with a new perspective.
For Hasselbeck, who went on to join Fox & Friends before stepping away from TV altogether, the moment stands as a chapter she’s unlikely to revisit in detail. But for Rosie O’Donnell — a comedian, actress, and advocate who has always spoken her truth no matter the cost — the past isn’t something to run from. “I don’t hold back,” she repeated in her interview. “And I never will.”
As The View continues its decades-long run with a rotating panel of hosts and heated discussions, that unforgettable moment between Rosie and Elisabeth remains one of its defining flashpoints — a time capsule of television drama that continues to spark conversation almost twenty years later.
