Sunny Hostin, co-host of The View and former federal prosecutor, expressed her dismay following Donald Trump’s recent presidential election victory. After Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race, Hostin shared her concerns on the show, focusing on the implications for justice reform and job access for formerly incarcerated individuals.
“I think that in 2016, we didn’t know what we would get from a Trump administration, but we know now,” Hostin stated. “We know now that he will have almost unfettered power.” Hostin, 56, went on to explain that her concerns stemmed from Trump’s criminal convictions and the potential impact of his administration on marginalized groups. “I don’t worry about my station in life,” she said. “I worry about the working class, I worry about my mother, a retired teacher. I worry about our elderly and their Social Security and Medicare. I worry about my daughter, who now has fewer rights than I have.”
A Call for Employment Reform from Sunny Hostin
Hostin went further, calling for a change to employment practices for people with criminal records. She highlighted that if someone with felony convictions could become President of the United States, they should also be eligible for other types of employment. “I think that going forward, the convicted felon box on employment applications better be taken off,” she declared passionately. “Because if you can be the President of the United States, you should not be prevented from employment in this country.”
Drawing from her own experience as a former federal prosecutor, Hostin recalled the restrictions she witnessed on job applications due to the felon box. “I remember applying for my jobs as a federal prosecutor, and there was a box for convicted felons,” she explained. “That box better be taken off.”
Hostin’s sentiments have sparked a broader debate on the show about justice and democracy. Her co-host, Joy Behar, while expressing disagreement with the election outcome, underscored the importance of respecting the democratic process. “The system works. We live in a democracy. People spoke,” Behar, 82, said. “I vehemently disagree with the decision, but we should value our system.”
Hostin’s powerful stance on job reform comes as Trump, now the first president-elect with felony convictions, prepares to lead the nation again. As the conversation on The View unfolded, Hostin’s words resonated as a call for fairer treatment of formerly incarcerated citizens in a shifting political landscape.