A CNN host got into a heated exchange about slavery with a Trump supporter during a panel discussion about the president’s ‘comprehensive internal review’ of eight Smithsonian museums
A CNN host got into a heated exchange about slavery with one of Donald Trump’s supporters during a panel discussion about the president’s proposed “comprehensive internal review” of eight Smithsonian museums.
On Wednesdays edition of CNN NewsNight, fitness influencer and Trump defender Jillian Michaels shocked anchor Abby Phillip with her argument about white people and their role in slavery during the tense conversation.
For years, Trump has defended confederate monuments and pushed back against problematic aspects of U.S. history, including widely-mocked purges of information deemed to be DEI-related. On August 12, the Trump Administration sent a letter to the Smithsonian Institution requesting a “comprehensive internal review” of eight of its museums with the aim of bringing the organization in line with Trump’s cultural directives ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations next year.
Phillip discussed the issue with a panel comprised of Michaels, Scott Jennings, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Julie Roginsky, and Elie Honig.
Michaels bristled when Roginsky brought up slavery as a subject for “review,” jumping in to defend white people from taking all of the blame before lashing out at Phillip by claiming she “racialized” the argument. Phillip pushed back.
Michaels said, “Can you address some of those things that are in there? Have you looked at some of the things that are being reviewed?” Roginsky replied, “Yes, slavery was a bad thing that we should talk about.” Michaels said, “He is not whitewashing slavery.”
Roginsky said, “So, hes not?” Michaels replied, “Hes not. No.” Roginsky concluded, “Okay,” before Michaels went on, “Hes not. And you cannot tie imperialism and racism and slavery to just one race, which is pretty much what every single exhibit does. But lets talk about the fact that when you lets talk about the fact ”
Torres added, “I mean, slavery in America was white supremacy,” to which Michaels replied, “Do you know that only less than 2 percent of white Americans owned slaves.” Torres said, “But it was a system of white supremacy. You know, African Americans were slaves and white people were ” Michaels interrupted, “Do you know what the first race to try to end slavery?”
Phillip interjected, “Im really surprised ” before adding, “Jillian, Im surprised that youre trying to litigate who was the beneficiary of slavery and who was not.” Michaels said, “Im not, what Im trying to tell you is that ” Phillip said, “I mean, in the context of American history In the context of American history, what are you saying is incorrect by saying that it was white people oppressing black people.”
Michaels replied, “Every single thing is like, oh, no, no, no, this is all because white people bad. And thats just not the truth. Like for example, every single exhibit, I have a list of every single one, like people migrated from Cuba because white people were bad. Not because of past yes. No, its in there. Thats what Im saying. You dont actually know whats in there. Do you know that when you walk in the front door, the first thing you see is the gay flag?”
Phillip said, “Jillian, you have a lot of stuff in front of you,” before Michaels explained, “Yes, I do because I dont because heres the thing.” Phillip asked, “What exactly are you talking about?” Michaels said she’d give an example.
The fitness expert said, “Theres one called Change Your Game, right? This has been an installation there. Is gender testing fair in sports? Does that and then it goes on to talk about how its complex to do gender testing in sports. Its not complex. Its basic science. Thats untrue. Its XX chromosome XY chromosome. Thats sports. Is it fair to have biological men competing against biological women in sports? No. But why is this in the Smithsonian? So, its been completely captured and its totally partisan.”
Phillip added, “First of all, we dont have time to litigate all of this,” before Michaels added, “Of course, we dont because then youre going to lose the argument. And if everything is racialized, just like youre trying to do to me now.”
A shocked Phillip said, “Excuse me?” Michaels replied, “Its like, oh, I cant believe youre trying to suggest ” The anchor added, “Just to be clear, you brought up race.” The TV personality refuted that before Phillip continued, “This was a conversation about the arts and you brought up race.”
Michaels said, “It isnt though,” as Phillip continued, “You brought up .” Michaels added, “But the whole point of this is that the issue ” Phillip said again, “You brought up slavery and you brought up the question of whether hold on.” Michaels again refuted that claim, saying, “I actually didnt. You did.”
Phillip said, “You brought up question of whether or not slavery in the United States is about race. The answer is yes.” The tense debate continued as Michaels once again said, “No, I didnt.” Phillip pressed on, “Slavery to the United States is all about race.”
Michaels said, “No, dont straw man my argument because thats not what I said,” before Phillip added, “So, what are you talking about?”
The star said, “Shame on white slavery, and what I was talking about is that this isnt really about that. When you make every single exhibit about white imperialism, when it isnt relevant at all, that is a problem. So, when youre talking about Cubans leaving Cuba and you make it about white people bad, thats not accurate. Thats my point.”
Phillip concluded the heated exchange with, “All right. Were going to move on to that.”
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