Trump 'Disrespected Long-Suffering Wife' Melania by Destroying First Lady's White House Wing, 'The View' Co-host Sunny Hostin Claims... as Construction of Iconic Building Leaves Critics Fuming

Hostin called out the president for tearing down his wife's offices in the White House's East Wing so that he can build a grand ballroom.
Oct. 23 2025, Published 6:29 p.m. ET
Donald Trump's demolition of the entire East Wing of the White House didn't sit well with the ladies of The View, who ripped the president for tearing down the area traditionally used by the first lady, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Panelist Sunny Hostin was particularly disgusted about what it meant for his long-suffering wife, Melania, and how it showed little regard or respect for her office.
'It Says A Lot'

Construciton equipement began demolishing the White House's East Wing to make room for a grand ballroom under Trump's plan.
Under Trump's orders, the wing initially saw its entrance being torn down on Monday, October 20. But the following days saw construction equipment leveling the two-story structure.
During Hot Topics on The View's Thursday, October 23, telecast, Hostin, 57, seemed to hint that the destruction was an insult by Donald, 79, to Melania, 55.
"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 scoffed.
She went on to sneer, "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 'Heart' of the White House

The current East Wing was constructed in 1942 for then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.
The former prosecutor went on to argue for the importance of the East Wing and praised the accomplishments of former first ladies in their areas of the White House, 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]. The East Wing is where the first lady resides. The East Wing has that incredible history," Hostin mourned about the loss.
"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," the panelist rattled off.
"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?," Hostin asked, in disbelief, about Donald's actions.
Michelle's White House Kitchen Garden Controversy

Michelle Obama brought back the White House vegetable garden while first lady.
Moderator Whoopi Goldberg noted that Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, faced criticism for planting a vegetable garden on the 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 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 them about healthy eating.
Interestingly, the project has lived on as Melania planted items in the garden with the kids in 2017. While former First Lady Jill Biden didn't use it, the garden still provides fresh vegetables for the White House chefs.


Melania has not used the East Wing as much during her husband's second term.
So far, Melania and her office have not commented on being displaced from their White House home.
The first lady has taken a much less active role in her husband's second term, choosing not to make Washington, D.C., her primary home in favor of spending time at the couple's posh residences in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida.
The duo's only child, Barron, was finishing middle school during Trump's first term and attended classes at a private school in Maryland while the first family lived in the White House.
He's now enrolled in college at New York University.



