Jillian Michaels Under Fire After CNN Segment on Slavery and History

On August 13, a lively roundtable discussion on "CNN NewsNight" took a contentious turn, centered around slavery and its beneficiaries. Host Abby Phillip faced criticism from panelist Jillian Michaels, a fitness trainer, who accused her of "racializing" the conversation.The panel debated President Donald Trump’s recent interference with the Kennedy Center awards, announcing honorees like Sylvester Stallone and Gloria Gaynor. A Democratic strategist suggested this reflected Trump's broader agenda to manipulate cultural narratives, paralleling his scrutiny of the Smithsonian exhibits since his second term began.As the discussion intensified, Michaels ardently defended white Americans, claiming they shouldn’t bear sole responsibility for slavery. Panelist Julie Roginsky highlighted the undeniable connection between slavery and white supremacy. Meanwhile, Congressman Ritchie Torres attempted to challenge Michaels’ views, leading to chaos as voices overlapped. Phillip interjected to steer the topic back to its roots, while Michaels continued to assert her stance on racial implications. Ultimately, tensions rose, prompting Phillip to redirect the discourse.

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