The View Cohosts Get Heated Over Donald Trump Voters, Whoopi Goldberg Forced to Step In

On Monday’s all-new episode, after watching a clip from the latest episode of Real Time With Bill Maher, co-hosts Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin got into a spirited debate over the reasons Americans voted for Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris — particularly when it comes to race and identity.

Hostin rejecter Maher’s comments that race was a scapegoat in justifying Harris’ loss, as she shared her belief that was in fact racism and sexism that fueled votes for the Republican candidate.

“I know that, as a country, it’s very difficult for people to believe that racism and misogyny, they’re just alive and well,” the legal expert and former prosecutor said. “My lived experience tells me that it does still exist, even if your lived experience doesn’t tell you that it exists. The facts support that.”

The show then put up a graph behind her, showing a vast split in the number of people of color who voted for Trump and the number of white people who voted for the ex-president.

“It’s not only clear by race, it’s also clear by education,” she continued. “Those who attended college voted for her at a higher degree than those who didn’t.”

Griffin attempted to chime in while Hostin was making her point, but was shut down in an effort to finish.

When she was able to speak, Griffin, who worked under Trump at the White House, said that in her view, the “biggest common denominator in this election was that people want a good life and ability to provide for their family.”

The point is one she’s made repeatedly in the aftermath of the election, but Hostin remained steadfast in her belief that race played a major role in Trump winning over Harris.

Jumping in to ask why Black people didn’t vote for Trump, Hostin was quickly countered by Griffin, who acknowledged that “there was a split” and that “more of them voted for Donald Trump than [they] had, historically.”

Griffin again told her colleague that she’s “missing it” entirely if she felt that a “vast majority in this country voted because of racism and misogyny,” with Hostin citing that “the stats are the stats” when it comes to backing up her view.

“But, [the stat] doesn’t say, ‘I’m white, I voted for Donald Trump because of racism,'” Griffin replied after raising her hand to emphasize her words. “That’s not a fact. What fact are you talking about?”

“You can’t dissect the two,” Hostin stressed, with a frustrated Griffin raising her voice to claim, “Yes, you can!”

It was then that panel moderator, Whoopi Goldberg, had to step in to ease the tension.

“Hold on, calm down, everybody just take a breath,” the 69-year-old said. “Take a breath, take a beat!”

Ana Navarro couldn’t help but agree, speaking to her “friend” Maher directly.

“I think most people are not saying that it was all about not about sexism and it was all about racism. Most people are not saying that,” Navarro began. “I would say to Bill Maher, who I like, and whose show I’ve been on several times, that maybe, just maybe, when you live life as a woman and as a woman of color, you feel it and you know it a little bit more than a White man does in America.”

She added, “He says that folks see everything from racism and sexism — not everything. But if you’re not seeing racism and sexism in America, then you need to clean your lenses.

This isn’t the first time the co-hosts have gotten into it following the election either. In recent weeks, Sara Haines also got into a tense debate with Hostin on this very topic, as she felt that the election results should force the Democratic party to reframe its messaging to reach a wider range of people, given that many voted for Trump to improve their own economic standing in the country.

“We sit here not voting for Donald Trump saying, ‘Huh?’ But, there’s a point there, because there were millions and millions of people that felt heard, and that’s what I’m trying to lock into. It won’t change my stance — or maybe it will, I’m open to someone trying to convince me,” Haines added, with Hostin jumping in to ask, “That Trump is good for people?”

“If that’s what you’re hearing, you’re missing my whole point,” an exasperated Haines said as she raised her hand towards Hostin from across the table.

Today’s discussion, meanwhile, ended with Hostin jokingly looking exhausted at the idea of putting up with Trump for another four years.

The View airs weekdays at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT on ABC.