© 2026 ABC News

Chalamagne then compared Warren to Dolezal who grew up identifying as white but, as an adult, changed her name and chose to identify as a black woman. Using that false racial identity, she rose through the ranks at her local NAACP chapter, taught African American studies at the collegiate level and once claimed to be the victim of a racially motivated hate crime. Her parents eventually told the media that she really was white.

“You're kind of like the original Rachel Dolezal, a little bit. Rachel Dolezal was a white woman pretending to be black,” he said to Warren.

“Well, this is just what I learned from my family,” she responded of her family's anecdotal claims of Native American ancestry.

Warren's campaign did not respond to an ABC News request for comment.

The host also asked her if she’d benefited from stating Native American as her heritage, such as writing “American Indian” on a State Bar of Texas registration card in 1986, which the Washington Post reported in February. DJ Envy, another co-host, asked if she had received a discount to go to college, referencing the government’s program for Native American education grants.

“Nope. Boston Globe did a full investigation. It never affected – nothing about my family ever affected any job I ever got,” Warren said.

Warren was also asked about her past as a Republican, which she was registered as until the late 1990s.

“So what made you register as a Republican back then? Because that's the Reagan years, that's the War on Drugs,” Charlamagne asked her.

Warren, who has been a pacesetter for policy ideas in the 2020 cycle, said she wasn’t “politically active” during those years and eventually broke into politics to get into “the policy end of it.”

Charlamagne said that Warren had “a lot of confusion back in the day” between her Native American heritage and switching political allegiances.

“You know, a big part of it was when I got into the fights over — you gotta make the law reflect our values, you gotta have a law that doesn't just work for those at the top and that works for everyone else,” Warren said, circling back to different policies she’s proposed ahead of the 2020 election.

In large part, the majority of the nearly hour-long interview was spent discussing Warren’s plans for historically black colleges and universities, which she wants to give $50 billion in grants to, and addressing redlining that held black homeowners back until the 1960s with new affordable housing units.

Warren also talked about her support for reparations, though she said she had yet to hear a conclusive decision from experts on the best way for the reparations to be paid to the descendants of those who were enslaved in the U.S.

But hours later, it was Dolezal who was trending on Twitter.

America Rising, a Republican opposition research PAC, posted the video on their YouTube and was using it to fundraise on Twitter.

Warren isn’t the first politician to land in hot water on the show. Earlier this year Sen. Kamala Harris drew criticism when she was asked directly if she ever smoked marijuana. Harris confirmed she smoked, and was asked what music she listened to at the time.

Harris said she listened to rappers Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur while she was in college. Both rappers however were not producing music by the time she graduated in 1986.

Former Sen. Hillary Clinton was asked on the show what item she always carries with her, her response was hot sauce.

ABC News' Beatrice Peterson contributed to this report.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/Politics/2020-candidate-elizabeth-warren-compared-rachel-dolezal-breakfast/story?id=63404945","legacySlug":"/news/story/2020-candidate-elizabeth-warren-compared-rachel-dolezal-breakfast-63404945","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"20:45","publishDate":"05-31-2019","updatedTime":"02:00","updatedDate":"06-01-2019","socialImage":{"alt":"Senator Elizabeth Warren appears on ABC's \"The View,\" May 30, 2019.","credit":"Jeff Neira/Walt Disney Television","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/Politics/elizabeth-warren-theview-abc-ps-190531_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"5/31/2019 20:45:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":63404945,"headline":"Warren compared to Rachel Dolezal in interview","mediaAssetTitle":"Warren on The Breakfast Club","description":"“Well, this is just what I learned from my family,” Warren responded. ","duration":"2:00","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181016_atm_ramos_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132488083","132306053","132266872"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 29, 2026","headline":"Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","section":"News","slug":"/video/132488083","id":"132488083","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Grand jury indicts former FBI director over Instagram post","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260429_gma_thomas_comey2_706_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Warren compared to Rachel Dolezal in interview","description":"“Well, this is just what I learned from my family,” Warren responded. ","duration":"2:00","uploadDate":"05-31-2019","publication":"05-31-2019","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181016_atm_ramos_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/10/181016_atm_ramos_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/2020-candidate-elizabeth-warren-compared-rachel-dolezal-breakfast-63404945"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132569874","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132567885","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132510121","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132473181","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132497933","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Warren compared to Rachel Dolezal in interview","pubTime":"16:45","pubDate":"05-31-2019","modTime":"22:00","modDate":"05-31-2019","taxonomyTags":"none","id":63404945,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Warren compared to Rachel Dolezal in interview","mediaAssetTitle":"Warren on The Breakfast Club","videoId":63404945,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/2020-candidate-elizabeth-warren-compared-rachel-dolezal-breakfast-63404945"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/63404945","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/63404945","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};