‘The View’: Whoopi Goldberg & Sunny Hostin Spar Over Celebrity Statements on ICE

The View cohosts continued to talk about the fallout from the shooting death of Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen, at the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis on Thursday’s (January 29) show. After reviewing new footage, which appeared to show Pretti kicking an ICE vehicle 11 days prior to the fatal shooting incident, the cohosts were united — albeit for different reasons — in the argument that it didn’t justify the shooting or his death. The cohosts were also in lockstep over the need for deescalation techniques to be used by ICE agents, with Whoopi Goldberg expanding her previously stated list of demands from Donald Trump‘s administration to also include the removal of masks from ICE agents.

Where they had differences, though, was on the subject of celebrity statements about ICE.

After reviewing Martha Stewart‘s statement about ICE, which she was inspired by her granddaughter to make, Hostin contended that celebrities should be expected to weigh in on political matters like these.

“This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think that if you do not speak out when something so… these atrocities are happening, you are almost complicit. I think you have a requirement, as a human being, as an American, to speak out, and especially if you have millions and millions of followers, a huge platform. I think it is a privilege to have that kind of platform, but it’s a responsibility to speak out,” Hostin said.

Goldberg immediately disagreed, however, saying, “I’m going to contradict you. No, I know not everybody is built for this. Yeah, because speaking out is not for everyone, and we don’t live in a society where people will let you say what you have to say, and just say, ‘Oh, that’s how they feel.’ No, they come for your family. They come for your friends. And everybody does not have the stomach for this. So if you have the stomach for it, if you can do it, please do. If you can’t do it, find a different way to connect that’s better.”

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Though Goldberg seemed to think that was the end of the matter (and the segment as a whole), Hostin jumped back in to defend her position. “It’s an unpopular opinion, but I do feel [that way].”

“I agree,” cohosts Ana Navarro then said. Meanwhile, Sara Haines and Alyssa Farah Griffin took up Goldberg’s side of the issue, with Haines noting, “I don’t think the people on the other side are always good people. They’re looking to hate people. They’re looking for you to speak up, and they want to disagree, and they want to stare you down a little bit. And I don’t think that’s OK either.”

Hostin then continued, “It’s Biblical. I mean, if you think about it, Jesus waded into the water. It was muddy water. He didn’t have to wade.”

However, Goldberg reclaimed the last word on the matter again, saying, “But not everybody believes in Jesus. Do what you can, if you can.”

The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC