Sunny Hostin, a co-host on "The View," reiterated her assertion that she feels "unsafe" in neighborhoods where American flags are prominently displayed. Speaking on the "Behind the Table" podcast, Hostin clarified that her discomfort arises not from the flag itself, but from its perceived co-option by certain groups.
"Unfortunately, at this point in our country, the American flag has been co-opted by the far right," Hostin said. "They call themselves patriots, people that storm the Capitol with Confederate flags and American flags. And they’ve weaponized the American flag."
Hostin drew a parallel to her personal experiences, recounting a time she felt uneasy in the South when she encountered a Confederate flag while with her children. She explained that while her white friends in the area were accustomed to seeing the flag without concern, it evoked a different, more nervous reaction in her, given her identity.
This sentiment echoes previous statements made on "The View" in 2021, where she first expressed feeling uncomfortable in communities with many American flags. She attributed this feeling to a segment of the country that equates the flag with White supremacy, a symbol she believes should represent justice, freedom, and equality.
"I said there are times when I walk into a community, and I see American flags all over the community and I suddenly feel unsafe because there’s a section of this country that has co-opted the American flag, and they equate being an American or an American flag with White supremacy, and that should never be the symbol of White supremacy, but they have weaponized it," Hostin said.
She expressed openness to efforts aimed at "reclaiming" the American flag as a symbol of its intended ideals. "I would be very happy to be part of a take the flag back, reclaim the American flag as a symbol of what it should be, which is, I think, justice, which I think is freedom. I think it’s equality. It’s sort of… the promise of this country," she stated.
Hostin's remarks have previously drawn attention, including her defense of MSNBC analyst Mara Gay's comments about American flags in 2021. Gay had described seeing American flags alongside Trump flags and anti-Biden signs as "disturbing."