‘The View’ Returns With Fiery Debate Over Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner ‘Crashing’ John McCain Memorial Service

The View returned for its 22nd season on September 4 and hit the ground running with a fiery debate over the appearance of Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at Senator John McCain’s memorial service after Donald Trump was specifically not invited to the event.

The late Arizona state senator had a heavy hand in the planning of each part of his own service and did not want the sitting president of the United States in attendance.

The newest member of the show’s panel, former Fox & Friends Weekend host Abby Huntsman, weighed in on the issue. Huntsman replaced former View co-host Sara Haines, who is the co-host of the new daily series GMA Day alongside Michael Strahan.

Huntsman, who is close to the McCain family, said Meghan was “like a sister” to her, according to a report by The Daily Beast.

Huntsman revealed that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump were not as welcome at McCain’s funeral as Sen. Lindsey Graham has made it seem. The couple was reportedly invited by the senator to attend, not the McCain family.

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“I spoke to Meghan about this,” Huntsman said, “And the family—look, I’m sure they had final approval of everything, if they had it their way—as was evident in the tone of the funeral—they probably would rather not have had anyone from the Trump family present.”

Still, the couple attended and the tone of the event, including remarks by former Presidents Obama and Bush, must have been “awkward” for Trump and Kushner, remarked Huntsman.

Asked if Graham “cleared” the invite with McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain, Huntsman did not elaborate.

“They should not have been there,” remarked co-host Sunny Hostin. She remarked that it was in “poor taste” from them to appear.

“Who crashes a funeral?” she asked. “You just don’t do that. I thought it was shameful that they were there, I really do. I stand by that.”

During the segment, the co-hosts praised their fellow panelist Meghan McCain for her comments during the service where she praised her father as a man and statesman and at the same time, bit back at the current administration.

“American greatness, the real thing, not cheap rhetoric from men who will never come near the sacrifice he gave so willingly, nor the opportunistic appropriation of those who lived lives of comfort and privilege while he suffered and served,” said McCain at the service.

“The America of John McCain has no need to be made great again because America was always great.”

Hostin applauded her co-host for rising to the occasion, no matter how difficult it must have been for her.

“For those of you who didn’t see it, she said John McCain told her, ‘Show people how tough you are.’ And my god, she showed everyone how tough she is,” remarked Hostin.

Co-host Meghan McCain did not return for the show’s opener. She remains at home with her family.

The View airs weekdays on ABC.