“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin dropped a controversial comparison during Monday’s episode, refusing to “move on” from the events of January 6th, 2021.
Hostin likened the Capitol riot to some of the darkest chapters of history, including World War II, the Holocaust, and slavery.
While discussing the attack on the Capitol, Hostin argued that Americans needed to achieve “moral clarity” and squarely place responsibility for the event on President-elect Donald Trump.
“I think we need to find moral clarity in this country. I just remember that after January 6 you had someone like [Republican Senate Leader] Mitch McConnell placing the blame on January 6 squarely where it belongs, on Donald Trump’s shoulders,” she began.
JUST IN: The View’s Sunny Hostin compares January 6th to the Holocaust, where millions of Jews died.
I thought Kamala Harris comparing J6 to 9/11 was insane. This tops that.
Hostin also compared J6 to slavery during her bizarre rant.
“You don’t move on, because January 6th was… pic.twitter.com/6yKmVAUdhz
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 6, 2025
Hostin then criticized those who attempted to downplay the incident or move on four years later.
“And then you start to see people backtrack that and losing their moral center. You had Condoleezza Rice, I believe, on this very show saying, ‘You know, we need to move on from January 6,'” she remarked.
“I say no! You don’t move on because January 6 was an atrocity, it was one of the worst moments in American history!”
She went even further down the rabbit hole, introducing insane comparisons that immediately sparked online backlash.
“And when you think about the worst moments in American history like World War II, things that happened like the Holocaust, chattel slavery. We need to never forget,” she added.
Hostin highlighted the importance of remembering history to avoid repeating it. “Because past becomes prologue if you forget any race.”
The studio audience applauded her passionate stance, with several co-hosts expressing agreement.
Her colleague Sarah Haines suggested the Capitol riot should be remembered annually. “And hopefully, every year we will continue to show video of January 6, cause I won’t tell you how to feel, you just watch that video and you tell me what you see,” Haines said.
However, not everyone was onboard with Hostin’s commentary. Social media was flooded with criticism, particularly regarding her comparison of January 6 to the Holocaust.
StopAntisemitism, a prominent watchdog group, condemned her statements, saying, “StopAntisemitism is sickened to hear ‘The View’ host Sunny Hostin compare the January 6th insurrection to the Holocaust.”
They continued, “Over 6 million Jews were massacred during the Holocaust. For an entertainment host to compare a riot to such a massive stain in history is nauseating at best.”
Hostin was also slammed by conservative commentators. Collin Rugg, known for his critical takes on progressive politics, tweeted, “I thought Kamala Harris comparing J6 to 9/11 was insane. This tops that. Hostin also compared J6 to slavery during her bizarre rant.”
Radio host Buck Sexton was equally critical, writing, “Sunny Hostin compares Jan 6 to WWII (~50 million dead), the holocaust (11 million murdered in death camps) and the enslavement of 12 million Africans brought in chains to the Americas. Sunny is not bright.”
WATCH:
CNN’s @ScottJenningsKY
NUKES Sunny Hostin for comparing January 6 to the Holocaust and
slavery:“In light of all the rhetoric and
things we’re going to hear people say today is that, ultimately,
it was the American people who got to decide ultimately how we feel…
pic.twitter.com/xyFdgVcOSb—
Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) January
6, 2025
Others, like CNN commentator Scott Jennings, called for a more measured response. “I think we need to arrange our feelings and control ourselves accordingly here, and not go off the deep end,” Jennings commented during a segment.
“It was not a good day. Political violence cannot be condoned, but we can also be measured in how we view it in light of the rest of American and world history.”
Jennings took a broader perspective, suggesting there were encouraging takeaways from the day, choosing to highlight the certification of the presidential election results.
“What’s happening today is ultimately a good thing because both parties for the first time in my adult life are accepting the results of an election and that is ultimately putting this country on the right track,” he remarked.
He closed by urging caution when making historical comparisons. “I think people ought to really take stock of our feelings and not get out over our skis too much today and minimizing other world events and comparing them to January the 6th,” Jennings concluded.