The co-hosts of "The View" added their names to the long list of angry Americans who watched President Donald Trump demolish part of the East Wing of the White House that he pledged he wouldn't touch as he built his massive ballroom.
Photos of the heavy machinery tearing down the wall of the White House spread online Monday afternoon, prompting a huge backlash that led federal workers to be told not to take photos of the destruction, according to reports.
"The View" showed clips of Trump repeatedly promising that the White House building would not be touched and that the ballroom would be disconnected from the White House itself.
"That is not your building. You don't own that building!" exclaimed Whoopi Goldberg. "That would be like me going over to Trump Tower and saying I'm going to build a disco. You know? They've wanted a disco in Trump Tower for hundreds of years. I mean, come on."
Joy Behar recalled the first Trump administration ripping out the Jackie Kennedy Rose Garden and cherry blossoms and replacing them with hedges.
"A ballroom is a symbol of excess and opulence, and we're living in a time where those optics just are flying in the face of the reality of the majority of this country," Sara Haines agreed. "You know, he won on making cost of living better, but inflation's up 3%, 74% of Americans say they've seen household prices increase by at least $100. The unemployment rate is at a four-year high, right now. People are struggling to eat. And this was like a wealthy ballroom paid for by wealthy people for wealthy people to come and dance in a ballroom."
Trump's former communications director, Alyssa Farah Griffin, echoed her concerns about Trump destroying the historic integrity of the White House.
"I have fears that this might look more like a Florida country club than the White House," she began.
She acknowledged that there isn't enough space to host large events and noted that Trump has been jealous of the UK's ability to host large, lavish events.
"But remind everybody where they're having them," Goldberg cut in.
"True," Griffin agreed.
"It's in the castle. It's Windsor Castle," Goldberg added.
"You mean the king's castle?" Sunny Hostin cut in.
"So, that's why he wants to build it: The optics. Americans are struggling. You can't - the cost of living is not coming down. You have more unemployed Americans than you do have jobs available right now. It feels like Marie Antoinette, let them eat cake, we're building a ballroom," Griffin closed.
Goldberg added that it would be preferable if the companies that donated for the room were to pay taxes instead, so that American communities would be better served.