After Donald Trump dispatched Marines in Los Angeles in response to protests against ICE raids, “The View” host Sunny Hostin said the move is part of a bigger plan. According to the ABC host, the president is currently using California as “a test run” to turn American troops on American citizens in other states.
To kick off the day’s Hot Topics, the women discussed the continued fallout from the National Guard first being sent to Los Angeles, despite not being requested by the governor. Looking at the footage of protests turning violent, the hosts noted that they all have loved ones in the city that they’ve spoken to, and that the severity of the protests have been overstated.
“There is no crisis in Los Angeles that ICE did not cause,” Hostin said bluntly.
As the discussion continued, the host pointed out the size of Los Angeles — and thus, the size of its police force — and theorized that Trump sent in military troops as part of a larger long-term plan.
“I think we have to look at what’s happening from a bird’s-eye perspective, and look at the why. Trump is militarizing that state as a test run,” Hostin said. “As a test run, to make sure that he can do it in places like New York, that he can do it in other sanctuary cities.”
“And so, there is a plan to this, in my view, and I really think that there’s no question that the LAPD — that has 9000 police officers — could’ve handled this quite well,” she continued.
Host Joy Behar noted that Hostin’s theory is pretty “astute,” and added that she thinks the move was also a distraction tactic from Trump’s failing legislation.
“The View” airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET on ABC.
