Sunny Hostin kicked into former prosecutor mode on Tuesday morning’s episode of “The View,” as she repeatedly asked guest host Abby Huntsman the same question multiple times: is Pete Hegseth qualified to be Secretary of Defense?
As part of the day’s Hot Topics, the ABC hosts discussed a recent Trump appearance in Tennessee, during which the president claimed that Hegseth was “the first one to speak up” in support of attacking Iran. For the talk show hosts, the move immediately read like pre-emptive blame, rather than giving credit.
“Pete looks at this as praise; he’s toast!” Huntsman said. “If this doesn’t go well, this is not good for Pete Hegseth.”
Host Sunny Hostin was quick to remind viewers that Huntsman previously worked with Hegseth, as they were both “Fox & Friends” hosts, and Huntsman noted that he was a “perfect Fox News Host.”
“Is he a perfect Secretary of Defense?” Hostin immediately retorted.
Huntsman sidestepped giving a definitive answer, instead saying he needs to stop encouraging the memes, cartoons and more from official government accounts on social media, particularly as both she and Hegseth come from military families and know that people are actually dying in these strikes that the government is meme-ifying.
“Do you think he’s qualified to be the Secretary of Defense?” Hostin asked again.
Once more, Huntsman refused to answer with a yes or no, saying just that she doesn’t “hope for the demise of this country” or the people who are in charge of it right now. She noted that she is praying for the best, but “very concerned.”
“But do you think he’s qualified to be the Secretary of Defense?” Hostin asked once more, earning a laugh from Behar and the audience.
Yet again, Huntsman did not give a definitive answer, just reiterated that she’s “concerned.” She simply said that Hegseth and the Trump administration are playing checkers while the rest of the world plays chess.
“It sounds like you don’t think he’s qualified to be the Secretary of Defense,” Hostin pressed again.
At that, Behar cut in, asking Huntsman if she’d like for Behar to “save you from Sunny.” From there, the conversation moved forward with host Sara Haines offering her opinion on the matter. Once again, Hostin asked if Hegseth was unqualified, which Haines definitively answered with a no.
Eventually, Huntsman did decide to answer Hostin point blank, after the ABC host pointedly looked Huntsman’s way while saying she personally does not think Hegseth is qualified.
“I’m not here defending — by the way, I don’t think Pete’s qualified for the job. That’s not what I’m saying at all,” Huntsman conceded, earning cheers from the rest of the table, as well as the audience.
