Who is Elisabeth Hasselbeck? Former The View Co-Host returns with a call for “Civil Discourse”

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is an American television personality, political commentator, and former reality TV contestant widely recognized for her long tenure on The View. She initially rose to national fame as a contestant on Survivor, where her competitive spirit and outspoken personality made her a standout figure.

In 2003, Hasselbeck joined The View as a permanent cohost, occupying the panel’s conservative seat for a decade. During her time on the show, she became known for energetic debates on politics and culture, frequently clashing with cohosts including Joy Behar and Rosie O'Donnell. After leaving the show in 2013, she moved to Fox & Friends before later stepping back from daily television.

Return to The View

Hasselbeck returned to The View on Monday (March 2) as a guest co-host in Alyssa Farah Griffin’s maternity leave. Her reappearance signified a notable occasion, given her tense on-air history with some of the present panelists.

Opening the show with a message of unity, she stated to viewers:

“I am thankful to be here with you all. This is really a gift. We go way back, we go way back, and it’s a blessing to be near you anytime that I can,” she cited. “To just have voices as women in the world right now, I’m forever reminded of the gift of our freedoms, particularly in light of what’s going on with Iran, just that women can be beautiful, voiced, respected, and the hope of that there is wonderfully significant. But a reminder to us today of our blessing of being able to share our thoughts and listen. Civil discourse is not dead. We might have differences of opinion, but we love each other.”

She further said addressing at younger viewers:

“For the young people watching, it’s important to see that you can have, and we’ve said it before, we can hold our positions in one hand and each other’s hands in the other, and be able to just live as Americans of the freedom that we have and speak our hearts and minds. And so we get to do that all week. It might get a little spicy at times, but we do not hate each other. We love each other, and we have the freedom to do it. And it is important to remind everybody.”

“Full Armor of God” and Her Preparation

Before stepping back to the Hot Topics table, Hasselbeck shared that she secured a “Full Armor of God” playset as a symbolic action of spiritual preparation. Showing off her Bible, she commented, “I’ve been trying to prep for The View, so my main research is right there… That’s the armor!”

The “Armor of God” reference — including items such as a "helmet of salvation," "breastplate of righteousness," and "belt of truth" — emphasized her faith-centered approach in going through spirited talks.

Political Tensions and Public Disputes

Hasselbeck has remained an outspoken conservative presence. She recently defended country singer Carrie Underwood following backlash over Underwood’s performance at Donald Trump’s inauguration. In reaction to comments made by Behar, Hasselbeck urged her to “simmer down” and later presented on Hannity with Sean Hannity, where she stated that The View “refused to put anyone there who has a lick of sense on most days” and mentioned Behar “wants to attach her name to Carrie Underwood’s name so that she maintains relevance because she knows the ship is sinking.”

Executive producer Brian Teta observed that her return fueled strong audience reactions, citing her history of passionate and sometimes controversial perspectives.

Behar responded to news of Hasselbeck’s return by stating, “It’s fine, she’s a good kid… She comes from a very nice family. Actually, her parents are Democrats. So I don’t know where she comes up with this Republican position, but she — I think maybe her husband, when she got married — she became more conservative.”

FAQs:

Q1. Who is Elisabeth Hasselbeck?
Elisabeth Hasselbeck is a television personality and political commentator. She is widely recognized for her former role as a co-host on The View.

Q2. Why did she return to The View?
She appeared as a temporary guest co-host. Her return filled in during another panelist’s leave.