Sunny Hostin says America is a ‘failed experiment’ on ‘The View,’ drawing White House rebuke

“The View” co-host Sunny Hostin said Friday she believes the United States is a “failed experiment,” putting her at odds with her fellow panelists and prompting a sharp response from the White House.

The remarks came as the co-hosts of the ABC daytime program discussed President Trump’s plan to stage a UFC event on the White House lawn as part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration. The conversation shifted to whether Americans could feel ashamed of Mr. Trump’s policies while still holding pride in the country itself.

Ms. Hostin said her misgivings went well beyond the current administration.

“I am conflicted about this country because I feel that it is, at this point, a failed experiment, quite frankly,” she said. “I am also discouraged by how this country is viewed by the rest of the world.”

She listed several specific grievances.

“I’m embarrassed at our government,” Ms. Hostin said. “I’m embarrassed at our lack of healthcare. I’m embarrassed on the assault on the press. I’m embarrassed of our Congress. I’m embarrassed by the criminal felon president that is in the Oval Office that has a UFC cage on the White House lawn.”

She also argued that America’s standing abroad had suffered, saying U.S. allies were now giving the country a “one-star rating.”

When co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin pressed her on whether the country was beyond recovery, Ms. Hostin said she believed it was actively failing. She also cited what she described as a private conversation with former President Bill Clinton, saying he told her off-camera that the country could take decades to recover from the current moment.

The rest of the panel criticized the Trump administration but declined to share Ms. Hostin’s broader verdict on the country. Ana Navarro said she believed it was possible to separate pride in America from disapproval of its government. “I will never stop being proud of being an American,” Ms. Navarro said. Co-host Sara Haines called the United States “an imperfect social experiment” but said she would not want to live anywhere else.

Ms. Griffin said she counted herself among the majority of Americans who remain proud of their country. “I don’t think that means you can’t acknowledge our country has tremendous flaws,” she said.

In a statement reported by Fox News, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle criticized Ms. Hostin in response to her remarks.

“Sunny Hostin is an extremely unlikable, talentless hack with a poorly rated TV show who clearly suffers from a severe and incurable disease known as Trump Derangement Syndrome,” Mr. Ingle said. “I lose brain cells every single time I have the displeasure of hearing her speak.”