The View Cohosts Defend Michelle Obama’s Decision to Skip Donald Trump’s Inauguration

“I think when they go low, you have to meet that energy and perhaps go even lower,” said Hostin, while another cohost speculated Obama “has learned to put herself first and her mental health first.”

It was confirmed this week that the former First Lady would not be attending the president-elect’s swearing in, though her office did not provide any further explanation in its brief statement.

On this morning’s episode of the daytime talk show, Sunny Hostin applauded Obama’s decision.

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“Yes, Lord. She is so right,” Hostin said.

“She gave us that, ‘When they go low, we must go high,'” referencing an iconic Obama quote. “And I think she’s changed her tune. I think when they go low, you have to meet that energy and perhaps go even lower. Become small like an ant and go to the earth’s crust.”

Hostin then shared she thought Obama did not enjoy Trump’s 2017 inauguration because “there was no diversity, there was no color on that stage, she said there was no reflection of what the broader sense of what America looks like.”

While Alyssa Farah Griffin shared she had “no problem” with Obama’s decision, she did insist that all former presidents and vice presidents attend — after Trump didn’t President Joe Biden’s inauguration following the 2020 election.

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“I think it signals to the world that despite a very tumultuous political season that America moves forward and we’re going to have a safe and secure transfer of power, despite Donald Trump in 2020 and what he did after Jan. 6,” she said, before adding, “I think a spouse, she served her time, I don’t think she’s obligated to be there.”

While the women do not know exactly why Obama decided not to attend the inauguration, Ana Navarro speculated it was because the 61-year-old “has learned to put herself first and her mental health first.”

“When she was the outgoing First Lady, she had the Trumps to the White House, she was nice, she played nice, she went to the inauguration, she sat through that insane speech about American carnage,” Navarro recalled.

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“So I think this time she’s saying, ‘Boo, been there, done that. You’re solo on this. I’m out. I’m gonna do what’s best for my mental health.’ And I think she’s fine to do that.”

Joy Behar interrupted and said the upcoming inauguration is “not a normal” one since Trump is a “convicted felon” — saying that, therefore, people do not have to attend as it it is a “normal inauguration.”

The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.