‘The View’s Sunny Hostin Slams Sen. Tommy Tuberville for “Stupidity” After White Nationalism Comments

The View went after Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville on Tuesday, ripping the conservative politician and questioning his intelligence after he refused to admit white nationalism is racism.

The Hot Topics panel was collectively appalled by Tuberville’s Monday (July 10) appearance on CNN, in which he told anchor Kaitlan Collins, “My opinion of a White nationalist, if someone wants to call them White nationalist, to me is an American,” before adding, “If people think a White nationalist is a racist, I agree with that.”

(Editor’s Note: The View is currently on hiatus; contrary to what you may have heard, The View was not canceled today. This article was originally published on July 11, 2023, when this episode first aired. The View will return with new episodes in September 2023.)

Tuberville’s appearance came after he shared his thoughts on white nationalists serving in the military, telling a local Alabama radio station in May, “I call them Americans.”

His statement on CNN last night both perplexed and infuriated the co-hosts, who couldn’t seem to decide if Tuberville was ignorant or fully aware of his words.

“He’s a racist himself,” Joy Behar said, referring to Tuberville’s support of Trump’s birtherism movement, while Sara Haines said the senator seemed “confused or ignorant” about the definition of white nationalism.

Alyssa Farah Griffin noted that Tuberville is “not the brightest bulb,” but Sunny Hostin was more biting with her critique.

“I think what’s problematic for me is the stupidity that’s just so apparent. When you think about Alabama, he has a lot of things to think about that he should be concentrating on, rather than this,” she said, citing the poverty level in Tuberville’s home state, as well as the “low education rate.”

“He is an example of that by not knowing what white nationalism is,” she said, adding, “It’s in the dictionary and I hope that’s something that he has handy when he’s doing his work.”

Whoopi Goldberg thought Tuberville knew “exactly” what he was saying.

“You’re talking B.S. You’re trying to make people believe that you’re stupid. And you’re not,” she said, as Hostin could be heard intoning, “I’m not so sure…”

But Goldberg fired back, “He’s smart enough to know so many other things. This man knows exactly what we’re talking about … This is that, ‘Oh, I’m so dumb.’ You’re not. We know better.”

The View airs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC. Watch the full segment from this morning’s episode in the video above.