Van Jones’s appearance on a popular ABC Network morning show set Twitter abuzz with a succinct– yet powerful read from the program’s co-host Sunny Hostin.
On Friday’s episode of The View, Hostin held Jones’s feet to the fire over past comments he made supporting former President Donald Trump’s alleged plan for Black people.
During the segment, the 52-year-old woman lambasted the author and political pundit for being a “political opportunist” and a “chameleon” regarding his Oct. 23 statement that the former president “has done good stuff for the Black community.
“Donald Trump — and I get beat up by liberals every time I say this, but I’m gonna keep saying it — he has done good stuff for the black community,” Jones said in the video, seemingly caping for Trump. “Opportunity zone stuff, black college stuff. I worked with him on criminal justice stuff. I saw Donald Trump have African American people, formerly incarcerated, in the White House — embraced them, treated them well.”
“There’s a side to Donald Trump that I think he does not get enough credit for,” he continued.
The View cohost cut to the chase.
“People in the black community don’t trust you anymore,” she said. “What is your response?”
Jones scoffed at Hostin’s brazen statement.
“I don’t think that’s true,” he opined. “The entire quote I said was that Trump has done a lot of good stuff he doesn’t get credit for, and I went on to say that the reason he doesn’t get credit for it is because he’s done all this horrific stuff, and it completely erases what he’s done. But what happens is, social media will take the clip, but they won’t show the full context.”
The Yale law school alumni further explained that he advocates for causes he cares about, such as criminal justice reform, with either party members.
“People may not like everything I have said on television,” Jones said. “I try to be balanced. But look at what I have done. Who among my critics have been able to get people together to help folks at the bottom?! When we fight like this about everything, and you can’t give anybody even a little bit of credit for anything, who it hurts is not the politicians. It’s not the pundits. It’s regular folks who don’t have anything! People who can’t vote because they’re in jail. We have to put their interests first. I’m never going to apologize for putting the interest of people at the bottom first.”
Twitter users applauded Hostin for gathering the flip-flopping CNN personality.
One woman wasted no time telling Jones exactly how she felt.
Another person stated that folks who deal with the Trumps are shady.