On Thursday’s episode of The View, co-host Sunny Hostin offered a theory on why President Trump decided to demolish the White House’s East Wing for the new construction project of the presidential ballroom.
The cohosts reviewed footage of Trump defending his $300 million ballroom project—after previously claiming it wouldn’t affect the existing structure—and mocking a reporter who questioned him as “a third-grade reporter.” They then started to attack the president over the new project.
“I hope there’s a Stormy Daniels wing at least,” said co-host Joy Behar.
Whoopi Goldberg then ridiculed House Speaker Mike Johnson for comparing the project to former President Barack Obama adding a basketball court or FDR adding a pool.
“Mike, I just want to point out that none of those things were done without permission,” quipped Goldberg, who then went on to dispute Trump’s claim that the ballroom will be privately funded by corporations.
“You know it’s always going to come down to the people,” claimed Goldberg. “People are always going to end up paying for this stuff.”
“To say Obama put in a basketball court is like, ‘Should we do Bathfitters and put in a bathroom or should we knock the whole house down,” Behar said.
“She’s on fire today,” Goldberg then said in response to the audience applause.
“I’ve had it with him!” Behar exclaimed.
Hostin then shared her theory on the matter, which involves Trump’s perceived disregard for the history of First Ladies, including his own wife, Melania:
“For me, it’s not so much that he — of course, it’s upsetting that he’s putting this gaudy, tacky, nasty ballroom in there with all the gold and everything — but I think what’s really significant is the history of the East Wing, which he has now completely demolished, when he first said he wasn’t going to be touching [it]. The East Wing is where the First Lady resides. The East Wing has that incredible history. Betty Ford argued to increase pay for her staff in the East Wing. Eleanor Roosevelt was the first First Lady to make that the ‘Office of the First Lady.’ Laura Bush launched her literacy efforts. Michelle Obama oversaw her ‘Let’s Move’ campaign. Betty Ford in particular said this about the East Wing: ‘If the West Wing is the mind of the nation, then the East Wing is the heart.’ So now can you imagine that?”
The View is having a breakdown over the White House ballroom plans.
These women are fundamentally miserable.pic.twitter.com/dJP5XHOsZH— Dennis Michael Lynch (@TrustDML) October 23, 2025
“The bottom line is if your husband decided to tear down the part of your house you hang out in, it says a lot about their relationship,” Hostin continued. “It says a lot about the role of the first lady in his administration. It says a lot about what he thinks, I think, about the first lady.”
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin criticized Trump doing this while the economy is ailing:
“The American people are struggling. The economy is not rip-roaring the way that we were promised… I think of all my relatives who voted for Trump who really thought, ‘This guy is going to bring the country back. He’s going to make my paycheck go further.’ And that’s just not what we’re seeing right now. Unemployment is too high. Fewer jobs are available than there are people seeking out work. You see major American manufacturers had their worst quarter last year in years, which we were promised to bring back American manufacturing. So this juxtaposition, if he’s building his grand ballroom while everyone is still hurting bothers me.”
Co-host Sara Haines also criticized Trump’s ballroom amid the continued shutdown, claiming:
“Both sides of the aisle have called on President Trump to get involved and make a deal on getting the government up and running, and he hasn’t … We’ve got people lining up at food banks to feed their family who are still called to show up at work, some of them. This a disturbing optical problem that really should be an embarrassment right now.”
“Why do I keep hearing the words ‘French Revolution’ coming into my head right now: ‘Let them eat cake,’” Behar added.
Goldberg concluded the segment by spewing: “Can you imagine what would happen if Obama just said, ‘Listen, I’m going to obliterate [the East Wing]?’ All Michelle did was make a vegetable garden, and they lost their minds!”
