‘Cruelly torn down’: Ethics expert condemns Trump’s plan to bulldoze White House's East Wing

WASHINGTON, DC: Former White House ethics expert Norm Eisen accused President Donald Trump of trying to dismantle key government institutions to remake them in his own image. 

The allegations come as Trump pushes forward with plans to bulldoze the East Wing of the White House to build a massive, corporate-funded ballroom, an audacious move taking place amid a federal government shutdown that threatens critical health care funding for millions.

Ex-White House ethics expert slams Trump’s plan to bulldoze East Wing

Michael Steele, the MSNBC show’s anchor and former chairman of the Republican National Committee, weighed in with a sharp critique, saying, “I think, in a very real way, that he doesn't care about the food lines that are happening."

Steele highlighted the growing lines at food banks and the harsh realities many Americans face during the ongoing government shutdown. 

“The lines are happening at food banks around the country. He doesn't care about the impact that's coming because of the shutdown. We haven't even talked about what people are going to see when they get to Thanksgiving and going to the Christmas holidays. How does this translate, do you think, for the American people when they see the symbolism of the East Wing being torn down ... What do you think people are hearing and seeing out there?"

Eisen responded, "I think the totality of it does penetrate. We've seen poll after poll lately where Donald Trump is at historic approval ratings, down as low as 37 percent."

He recalled his time working in the White House, describing it as “holy ground” because of the sacrifices made for the American ideals the building represents. 

“When I would walk in that East Wing that is so cruelly torn down, I would get chills at the history of what had happened in that building. growing louder and more agitated. 

Ethics expert says Trump is tearing down the human infrastructure

Norm Eisen strongly condemned Trump for targeting "government employees in this shutdown."  He said, "I do think the American people get the totality, and the thing that Donald Trump is doing, he's tearing down that building, but he's tearing down the human infrastructure."

“This is why we at the Democracy Defender Fund have gone to court,” he explained. “We've, with our partners, with the federal employee labor unions and other wonderful partners, we've gotten three trials. We got the latest one today to say you can't tear down the human infrastructure, you can't fire people. There's no legal basis to do it in a shutdown. He wants to inflict that same, same pain. That's not what America is about."

He finished by pointing to the rising public rejection of Trump. “So I do think you're seeing a public repudiation of Trump,” he said. “And of course, we're going to have a referendum on him. New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania Supreme Court retention races. And I think you're going to see powerful repudiation."

'The View' host expresses outrage over Trump's plan

Not only former White House ethics officials, but also public figures like Whoopi Goldberg have voiced strong opinions on President Trump’s plan to demolish part of the White House for a new ballroom. On the October 21 episode of 'The View,' the 69-year-old actress and talk show host expressed her outrage while discussing the construction at the nation’s most iconic residence with her co-hosts.

Goldberg, known for her outspoken political commentary, declared, “That is not your building. You don’t own that building. That would be like me going over to Trump Tower and saying I’m going to build a disco.” She emphasized, “You don’t own that building! That is the people’s building!” Her co-host Joy Behar added to the moment by singing a parody of Lesley Gore’s ‘You Don’t Own Me,’ changing the lyrics to ‘You don’t own it.’

While most of 'The View's panel criticized the plan, conservative co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin offered a more measured response, stating, “Building a ballroom to celebrate wealth and excellence doesn’t land well when many Americans are struggling financially.”