This is just disgusting.
Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View, is facing fierce criticism after making a highly controversial and offensive comparison between the January 6th Capitol riot and some of the darkest moments in history, including the Holocaust and slavery.
Speaking on the four-year anniversary of the Capitol attack, Hostin lamented the apparent fading outrage over the events of that day. She expressed her concern that Americans were losing their “moral clarity” on the issue. “I think we need to find moral clarity in this country,” Hostin remarked, reflecting on how political figures, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, initially placed the blame for the violence squarely on former President Donald Trump. However, she claimed that many had since “backtracked” from this stance and lost their moral bearings.
Hostin then escalated her rhetoric, asserting that the nation should never “move on” from the January 6th riot, which she called “one of the worst moments in American history.” However, it was her next statement that triggered widespread backlash. In an attempt to emphasize the gravity of the Capitol attack, Hostin drew a comparison to some of the most horrific atrocities in human history. “When you think about the worst moments in American history—things like World War II, the Holocaust, or chattel slavery—we need to never forget,” she said, warning that forgetting the past could lead to repeating it.
The backlash was immediate. CNN political commentator Scott Jennings sharply criticized Hostin for making the comparison, urging people to keep the Capitol riot in perspective. “We need to control ourselves,” Jennings stated. “It was a terrible day, but it doesn’t compare to the horrors of the Holocaust or slavery.”
The Jewish community was particularly appalled by Hostin’s remarks. StopAntisemitism, an advocacy group, condemned her words, calling the comparison “sickening” and a “gross trivialization” of the Holocaust. “Over six million Jews were slaughtered during the Holocaust. For an entertainment host to equate a political riot to such a monstrous tragedy is deeply offensive,” the group said.
Social media users were quick to join the chorus of criticism. Many called for Hostin to be fired from The View, with one commenter on X (formerly Twitter) writing, “Sunny Hostin needs to be fired immediately. This is too much, even for The View.” Others described her comments as “outrageous” and “disrespectful.”
Hostin, known for her outspoken liberal views and frequent criticism of Trump, has now found herself in the center of a storm for diminishing the gravity of historic tragedies by likening them to the January 6th riot. Conservatives have warned that such reckless rhetoric risks trivializing real suffering while distorting the significance of the Capitol attack.
As the controversy continues to unfold, many are left wondering whether this incident will contribute to a deeper divide over how we talk about America’s history and the events that shape our nation today.