Joy Behar Jokes Donald Trump's Approval Ratings 'Are Lower Than' Her Assets

Joy Behar caught Ted Cruz off guard on The View with an off-color joke about President Donald Trump's approval ratings.

The co-host, 83, made the crack during the Texas senator's appearance on the Wednesday, September 9, edition of the ABC talk show, as the panel pressed him on Trump's standing heading into the midterms.

"His approval ratings are lower than my b---- at this point," Behar quipped, drawing laughs from the audience and her co-hosts. Cruz kept his distance from the punchline, but offered a chuckle at the joke.

Cruz, a close Trump ally, chose not to engage with the joke.

"I'm just gonna stay far away from that," he said as the table laughed, prompting co-host Whoopi Goldberg to advise him to simply let it go. He took the suggestion, and the conversation moved on.

The moment came up as Behar noted that the Republican Party's midterm convention was kicking off that day in Cruz's home state of Texas, with Trump asking voters to treat the election as a referendum on him. Behar used the setup to needle the president's polling before pivoting to her one-liner.

Overall, the appearance was combative without turning hostile. Earlier in the segment, Cruz was asked to grade Trump's handling of the economy and gave it high marks, a response the panel pushed back on.

When the hosts suggested the country was struggling, Cruz held his ground, telling them he understood they'd never liked the president and still did not.

Behar has a history of sharp Trump commentary on the show, and the White House has previously criticized her over it. The senator, for his part, has weathered a string of viral moments in recent months and appeared to treat the exchange as another to ride out.

Cruz's appearance was notable in part because Republican guests have been rare on The View. His visit came as ABC's daytime programming faces scrutiny from the Federal Communications Commission, which has been examining whether the network's talk shows comply with equal-time rules by featuring a balance of political guests. The senator's booking was widely read against that backdrop.

Cruz used part of the show's interview segment to promote his new book, Going Further: The Incomparable Clarence Thomas, and to discuss foreign policy, including tensions involving Iran. The panel covered several contentious topics with him before the segment wrapped.

The joke fit a pattern for Behar, who has leaned into candid, sometimes risqué humor throughout her long run on the program. She's joked about her appearance and her figure on air before, and her willingness to do so with a sitting senator across the table was nothing new.

Behar has co-hosted The View across most of its run since the show launched in 1997, becoming one of its most recognizable voices. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, has served in the Senate since 2013 and remains one of Trump's most prominent allies in Congress.