Sunny Hostin Calls Trump a ‘DEI Hire’ and Questions His Merit-Based Presidency

On The View, co-host Sunny Hostin sparked debate by labeling former President Donald Trump as a “DEI hire”—which she redefined as “Didn’t Earn It.” Her remarks came in response to Trump’s swift action in dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies upon taking office for his second term.

Hostin argued that Trump did not ascend to the presidency based on merit, stating, “You’re talking about a man who didn’t become the president of the United States because of merit. He had no political experience before winning the White House the first time.” She continued by calling him a “legacy hire” who was “given everything he has.”

Drawing a contrast between Trump and Martin Luther King Jr., Hostin criticized the irony of his inauguration coinciding with MLK Day. She noted that while Trump pushes for the removal of DEI initiatives, King’s vision extended beyond racial equality to economic justice. “Martin Luther King not only wanted racial equality, he wanted economic equality. And that is something people tend to miss,” she stated.

In protest, Hostin and fellow co-host Ana Navarro chose not to watch the inauguration. Instead, Hostin spent her time at Buffalo Wild Wings, remarking that she couldn’t ignore the “hypocrisy of having a man be inaugurated as we commemorate MLK.”

Trump wasted no time acting on his anti-DEI stance. Within 24 hours of taking office, his administration issued directives requiring all DEI-designated federal employees to be placed on paid leave. Government agencies were also ordered to shut down their DEI offices following an executive order he signed at his inauguration.

Hostin also took aim at celebrities who performed at Trump’s inaugural events, particularly rappers Snoop Dogg and Nelly. Meanwhile, her co-host Joy Behar criticized country star Carrie Underwood for allegedly “normalizing” Trump by performing at the ceremony.

In past months, Hostin had been a vocal supporter of the Biden-Harris administration. In November, she acknowledged giving Kamala Harris an easy question during an interview, asking how Harris would be “different” from Biden—only for Harris to respond, “There is not a thing that comes to mind.” Hostin later admitted, “That was a layup, really.”

Summary

Sunny Hostin labeled Donald Trump a “DEI hire” on The View, arguing he didn’t earn the presidency through merit. She criticized the timing of his inauguration on MLK Day and boycotted the event in favor of Buffalo Wild Wings. Meanwhile, Trump swiftly eliminated DEI policies from federal agencies. Hostin also condemned celebrities who performed at his inauguration, fueling further debate on The View.