Whoopi Goldberg Under Fire For Insisting Black People In The U.S. Have It As Bad As People Living In Iran

Whoopi Goldberg is facing backlash for comparing life in the U.S. to that in Iran during a heated debate with "The View" co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin.

The Oscar-winning actress highlighted systemic racism and violence against minorities, while Griffin countered with Iran's harsh laws, especially against women.

The exchange remarks by Whoopi Goldberg come amid escalating Iran-Israel conflict, with Israel launching major airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Goldberg has caused a stir online over a heated exchange with her "The View" co-host Griffin during which she claimed that life in the U.S. can be just as harsh as living in Iran.

During Wednesday's episode of the ABC talk show, Goldberg raised her voice while highlighting America's own violent history, saying, "We have been known in this country to tie gay folks to the car. Listen, I'm sorry. They used to just keep hanging black people."

She then drew a bold comparison, stating, "It is the same," referring to conditions in the U.S. and those under Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

Griffin, 36, quickly pushed back, firmly rejecting the comparison. She argued that in Iran, women are subject to extreme restrictions, including the threat of death, simply for showing their hair, arms, or wearing a skirt.

"It is not even the same. I couldn't step foot wearing this outfit in Tehran right now," she said, referencing Iran's strict dress codes enforced by the country's notorious morality police.

Goldberg held firm in her stance, arguing that violence against marginalized groups should be condemned universally.

"That's why I'm saying that it is the same," she insisted. "Murdering someone for their difference is not good, whoever does it. It's not good."

When Griffin reiterated that the U.S. in 2025 is not comparable to Iran's current authoritarian regime, Goldberg countered, "Not if you're Black," pointing to the persistent fear and systemic racism faced by Black Americans.

"Every day we are worried. Do we have to be worried about our kids? Are our kids gonna get shot because they're running through somebody's neighborhood?" she added.

However, Goldberg still acknowledged, "This is the greatest country in the world." Griffin responded by stressing that none of the women at the table would even be safe setting foot in Tehran.

Despite the tension, Griffin acknowledged Goldberg's concerns, making it clear that she wasn't trying to downplay the challenges faced by many in the U.S.

"I don't want to diminish the very real problems people face here," she said empathetically. "But I think it's important we remember there are places much darker than this country and people who deserve rights."

Since her remarks hit the internet, Goldberg has come under fire from furious netizens, calling her out for being "out of touch."

One person wrote on X, "Sure, Whoopi, being black in America in 2025 is just like being a woman in Iran in 2025. To quote Jack Nicholson in As good as it Gets: 'Sell crazy someplace else. We're all stocked up here.'"

Another said, "It's always about her. Never have I been so appalled and disgusted by this individual's remarks."

A third person noted, "It's hard to believe this is real, but it's not surprising. Nothing like good ole' oppression for the elites."

An X user partially defended Goldberg, writing: "Whoopi, I get where you're coming from, but let's pump the brakes here. Comparing the experiences of Black Americans to those of women in Iran is a bit like comparing apples to, I don't know, nuclear warheads. Sure, there are issues with racism in the U.S., and it's something we need to keep addressing, but let's not forget that women in Iran face state-sanctioned violence just for showing their hair."

They added, "That's a whole different level of oppression. Your heart's in the right place, but maybe we should stick to analogies that don't downplay the severity of human rights abuses elsewhere. Just saying."

As the exchange grew more intense, Goldberg cut in to remind Griffin that not all Americans have shared the same freedoms, noting that Black citizens weren't granted voting rights until 1965.

Griffin responded sharply, pointing out, "They don't have free and fair elections in Iran. It's not even the same universe."

At that point, the "Sisters Act" actress appeared to grow frustrated, telling Griffin she would never truly "understand" the perspective she was trying to express.

Co-host Joy Behar stepped in to defuse the tension, urging Griffin to try and view the conversation through the lens of a Black American.

"Just try to understand from their point of view, this country does not do them well," Behar said.

Griffin responded respectfully, saying she "completely" acknowledged that experience, but maintained her belief that the conditions in Iran are "significantly worse" than those in the U.S.

The fiery back-and-forth wrapped with Goldberg telling the audience, "We'll come back to this," before the show cut to a commercial break.

Goldberg's fiery on-air exchange with Griffin took place against the backdrop of rising tensions between Iran and Israel, as the two nations edge closer to full-scale war.

The conflict escalated after Israel launched a wave of preemptive airstrikes targeting Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.

In response, Iran fired over 100 drones on Friday, calling the Israeli strikes a "declaration of war."

Israel's attacks reportedly struck key nuclear facilities and missile production sites in Tehran, killing several top military officials. The assault is being described as one of the most significant Iran has faced since the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a national address, confirmed that the military offensive, dubbed Operation Rising Lion, aimed to dismantle Iran's nuclear infrastructure, missile capabilities, and military strongholds.