'View' co-hosts debate Behar after she compares 'Anonymous' author to Watergate's 'Deep Throat'

Justice Department seeks information on 'Anonymous' author of upcoming anti-Trump insider book

The DOJ demands details from the publisher to determine if the author violated confidentiality agreements; reaction from Tom Dupree, former deputy assistant attorney general under President George W. Bush.

"The View" co-hosts had a spirited debate on Friday as they discussed a new book released by the anonymous administration official who publicly criticizes President Trump.

Co-host Joy Behar kicked off the segment by speculating that the author could be the "Deep Throat" of the Trump administration -- a reference to the secret informant in the Watergate scandal. Behar added that the author could be anyone since so many people "can't stand" Trump anymore.

But according to co-host Meghan McCain, the author was "cowardly."

"I think if you have this much umbrage about the person you're working for and the administration you're working for, then you should leave and you should come out publicly and go do an interview saying how bad it is because for me, I don't know who this person is. It could be anyone with any vendetta in any way," she said.

"It feels very icky to me," co-host Abby Huntsman added. She worried that publishing an anonymous author could normalize the practice for future administrations.

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The author previously came under fire for penning a New York Times op-ed that derided Trump's behavior and described themselves as part of the "resistance."

"This actually helps the Trump administration because it feeds into their narrative," Huntsman also argued.

But Behar urged the author to stay as a "mole" in the administration. At one point Huntsman asked how people can believe the author's claims if they don't even know who the person is.

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"Not believe it? Hello," Behar retorted. Co-host Sunny Hostin had just claimed that the author portrayed the president as racist and misogynistic.

McCain later described the author's book as an "act of betrayal."

"I think the person who's doing this and their publisher should 100 percent put their name on this," she said.