Donald Trump’s Demolition of the White House East Wing Draws Criticism from The View Panelists

Oct. 23, 2025 – Published 6:29 p.m. ET

Donald Trump’s decision to demolish the entire East Wing of the White House didn’t sit well with the ladies of The View. The panelists criticized the president for tearing down the area traditionally used by the First Lady, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

Sunny Hostin Expresses Disgust

Panelist Sunny Hostin was particularly disgusted by what the demolition meant for Trump’s long-suffering wife, Melania, and how it appeared to show little regard or respect for her office.

Under Trump’s orders, demolition began with the East Wing entrance being torn down on Monday, October 20. In the following days, construction equipment leveled the entire two-story structure.

During the October 23 telecast of The View’s “Hot Topics,” Hostin, 57, hinted that the destruction was an insult by Donald, 79, to Melania, 55. She said, “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,” referring to Donald’s wife of 20 years.

The East Wing: The ‘Heart’ of the White House

The former prosecutor went on to emphasize the East Wing’s importance and praised the accomplishments of former First Ladies associated with the space—where Donald now plans to build a grand $300 million ballroom.

“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],” Hostin mourned.

She added, “The East Wing is where the First Lady resides. The East Wing has that incredible history.”

Hostin highlighted notable contributions from past First Ladies: “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.”

She concluded by sharing a memorable quote from Betty Ford: “If the West Wing is the mind of the nation, then the East Wing is the heart.” Hostin expressed disbelief, asking, “So now, can you imagine that?”

Michelle Obama’s White House Kitchen Garden Controversy

The View moderator Whoopi Goldberg noted that Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama, faced her own share of criticism for planting a vegetable garden on White House grounds.

“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!” Goldberg, 69, griped.

Michelle Obama helped plant the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn, where she grew fresh vegetables and hosted field trips for local schoolchildren to teach about healthy eating.

Interestingly, the garden project has continued to thrive. Melania Trump also planted items in the garden with children in 2017. While former First Lady Jill Biden did not use the garden, it still provides fresh vegetables for White House chefs.

Melania Trump’s Displacement and Current Role

So far, Melania and her office have not publicly commented on being displaced from their traditional White House home.

The First Lady has taken a much less active role in Donald Trump’s second term, choosing not to make Washington, D.C., her primary residence. Instead, she has spent more time at the couple’s luxurious residences in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida.

The couple’s only child, Barron Trump, was finishing middle school during Trump’s first term and attended private school in Maryland while the family lived in the White House. He is now enrolled at New York University.

https://radaronline.com/p/trump-disrespected-melania-destroying-first-lady-white-house-the-view/