Hillary Clinton Calls Electoral College an 'Abomination' in Netflix Docuseries 'The American Experiment'

Hillary Clinton is renewing her decade-long criticism of the Electoral College, calling it an "abomination" in a trailer for the new Netflix docuseries "The American Experiment," which drops today. The five-part series, executive-produced by Tom Hanks, marks 250 years of U.S. independence by examining how American democracy has been built, challenged, and reimagined — and Clinton's remarks signal she remains one of the institution's most prominent critics.

Clinton's Remarks and the Docuseries Context

Clinton's comment — "Well, I personally think the Electoral College is an abomination. For obvious reasons." — lands in a series that draws on interviews with dozens of politicians and historians. Former Vice Presidents Kamala Harris, Mike Pence, and Al Gore are featured, as are Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Director Brian Knappenberger, speaking to Variety, said he knew he would be asking Clinton about "one of the most painful moments of her life." Clinton, Knappenberger noted, is one of only five people in American history to lose the presidency after winning the national popular vote. She defeated Donald Trump in the popular vote in 2016 by what Knappenberger described as "a significant margin," yet Trump secured sufficient swing-state Electoral College votes to win the White House.

A Position Clinton Has Held Since 2016

Clinton's language in the docuseries follows a consistent line she has taken since her 2016 loss. In her 2017 memoir "What Happened," she described the system as "the god-forsaken Electoral College." In a subsequent interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, she called it "an anachronism that was designed for another time" that "no longer works," and said flatly she wants it eliminated in favor of a one-person, one-vote framework.

Months before the 2024 election — in which Trump defeated Harris both in the Electoral College and in the popular vote — Clinton referenced the institution as a structural disadvantage for Democrats, telling The 19th that the Electoral College was "staring at you" as an underdog factor.

Congressional Voice Added to the Debate

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., adds a legislative perspective in the trailer, arguing that the founders themselves were not enthusiastic about the Electoral College and that it was "defective from the beginning." Lofgren contends the current structure allows a minority of the population to override majority will in choosing a president — a concern that has gained renewed traction on the left since 2016.

The Electoral College was instituted in 1787. Efforts to abolish or reform it have repeatedly stalled in Congress, where any constitutional amendment requires broad supermajority support. "The American Experiment" does not appear positioned as an advocacy vehicle — Netflix's own description frames it as a historical examination — but Clinton's inclusion and her unambiguous language give the series an immediate political edge ahead of its launch.

Fox News Digital reached out to Clinton, Netflix, Knappenberger, and Lofgren for additional comment.