Jillian Michaels Accuses CNN of 'Flat-Out' Lying About Her Controversial Interview, Doubles Down on Belief That Donald Trump Isn't 'Whitewashing Slavery'

Jillian Michaels doubled down on the controversial comments she made last week during a live segment on CNN’s NewsNight With Abby Phillip.

During the chat, the Biggest Loser trainer aimed to discuss Donald Trump’s letter to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, which detailed his administrative plan to review and ensure the exhibits “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.”

However, Michaels’ intentions were silenced by the panel of reporters on CNN, who claimed Trump was “whitewashing slavery.” As the TV personality attempted to voice her opinion, panelists mistook her words for filth.

On Thursday, August 21, Michaels defended her CNN appearance during an interview with Leland Vittert on NewsNation’s On Balance.

“Well, in that same interview, the clip, a clip you just showed from that interview. She flat-out lies and says, ‘We were just having a conversation about the arts, and she just randomly brings this up,’” Michaels explained of CNN’s Abby Phillip’s post-segment comments about their head-to-head debate.

“When, if you actually watch the entire clip, it’s Julie Roginsky who refers to parts of the MAGA base as racist, makes a Hitler reference, again, to Trump, and then says, ‘Slavery is bad, we should talk about it,’” Michaels clarified.

Michaels continued, “Upon which, by the way, I am fully educated and up to speed on the exhibits that the administration has taken umbrage in the Smithsonian, none of which had anything to do with slavery. So with confidence, I turn around, and I say, ‘He’s [Trump] not trying to whitewash slavery,’ and I’m about to list all of these other exhibits.”

The fitness guru explained how CNN’s Ritchie Torres and Phillip brought the topic “back to slavery again” despite her attempts to list exactly why Trump has no plan to whitewash slavery.

“So we were having two separate conversations at the same time, which is unfortunate because no point could come out clearly,” she told Vittert. “And once that came up, you know, this is a narrative that I am, I am deeply concerned about, and it’s not because I’m trying to center white people’s feelings at the heart of this issue. It’s because I am seeing a young generation choke on this narrative, and my deep concern is that this pendulum does not swing back to the middle.”

She continued, “It swings much farther into an alt-right direction where it’s begetting and breeding racism and hostility on both sides, which is why it is so important to tell both sides of history, not just one.”