In a recent segment on "The View" the hosts tackle the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection, tied to the upcoming anniversary of the attacks.
In particular, they address its lasting impact on ardent Trump supporters, who still adamantly believe the attacks were coordinated and executed by opposing Democrats.
"There is no way that a Republican would act that way and there is no way that Trump had anything to do with what happened on Jan. 6," says one supporter in a previously recorded CNN clip aired on "The View." Additional supporters branded the incident as both a "hoax" and a "setup."
"So, a year later, from this whole mess, how are we supposed to deal with people who live in this fantasyland I'd like to know?" asks co-host Joy Behar. "They seem to be in complete denial."
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The attacks were spurred by a call to action from former president Donald Trump, who erroneously claimed that the 2020 presidential election results were rigged. During his publicized speech on Jan. 6, Trump encouraged loyalists to "show strength" moments before chaos ensued, according to the New York Times. Crowds of rioters — which included members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group — quickly breached the Capitol's outdoor barricades before storming inside and disrupting a joint session of Congress. The mob subsequently vandalized property and clashed with law enforcement — a total of 140 officers were injured after the attacks, according to the Washington Post.
"It's so fascinating to me because it appears now that 34% of Americans say violent action against the government is justified," said Sunny Hostin. "40% of Republicans, 41% of independents but only 23% of Democrats say violence is sometimes justified. And so when you look at those stats, I mean, where are we in this country? We've become so much more of a fascist government. It appears to be much more of a dictatorship and I'm terrified for the future of the democracy in this country if that's what people are really believing."
Guest co-host/comedian Yvette Nicole Brown echoed Hostin's sentiments and emphasized the importance of being "egregious with the truth." "What Trump showed the world is that if you lie long enough and brazenly enough, there are people that will believe it," Brown said. "So, let's truth brazenly."
The segment — where all the panelists appeared remotely — also featured co-host Ana Navarro-Cárdenas but was missing Whoopi Goldberg and Sara Haines. According to Behar, Goldberg tested positive for COVID-19.
"Why am I here instead of Whoopi? Well, Whoopi, unfortunately, tested positive over the break but she'll be back probably next week," Behar said. "Since she's vaxxed and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very, mild. But we're being super cautious here at 'The View.'"
Behar also announced that Haines had come into close contact with the virus.
"Sara was in close contact, so she's not here. It's like Agatha Christie, 'And then there were three," Behar said. During the holiday break, Hostin also caught COVID but has fully recovered.
Watch the full clip below, via the show's Twitter account.
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