Joy Behar says Donald Trump's penny abolition move comes as he is ‘jealous’ of former presidents

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Joy Behar isn’t buying Donald Trump’s reasoning for stopping the production of new pennies—she thinks it’s all about ego. 

During the February 11 episode of The View, the longtime host attacked the President, claiming his decision to eliminate the penny wasn’t about saving money but rather a sign of his deep-seated envy. 

Donald Trump moves to eliminate the penny

“Trump has loyalty to no one, look what he did to his first Vice President,” 'The View' host Joy Behar said, referencing his fallout with Mike Pence. “I mean, it’s really—and he’s jealous of everyone."

She added, "Now he’s getting rid of the penny, he’s even jealous of Lincoln. He’s so small and petty.”

Behar's co-host Sunny Hostin backed her up, adding, “Small and petty, absolutely.” Trump, however, framed the decision as a logical cost-cutting measure.

In a Truth Social post following his Super Bowl appearance, the President wrote, “For far too long the United States has minted pennies which literally cost us more than 2 cents. This is so wasteful! I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stop producing new pennies. Let’s rip the waste out of our great nation’s budget, even if it’s a penny at a time.”

And he’s not wrong about the cost. According to a 2024 report from the US Mint, it takes 3.69 cents to produce a single penny, leading to a $179 million loss in 2023 alone.

A nickel, meanwhile, costs 13.78 cents to manufacture. It’s been nearly two decades since the penny’s production cost dipped below its actual value.

Internet roasts Joy Behar over her penny outrage on 'The View'

Donald Trump's move has sparked outrage, particularly among 'The View’ panelists, though social media wasn’t exactly on Joy Behar’s side.

Taking to the comments section on the Daily Mail article, one X user fired back at the host, “What an idiot! It was Obama’s idea initially to get rid of the penny! She just flaps her gums without doing her homework!”

Another chimed in, “The idea of axing the penny has been tossed around for years. They’re a pain in the a* and cost more to manufacture than they’re worth.”

And in perhaps the most scathing clapback, a viewer quipped, “Behar and Hostin are well-practiced experts on ‘Small’ and ‘Petty.’”

Another viewer shared, "They have blackened hearts, so what comes out? Hate, jealousy, meanness, gossip...The View Zoo is void of morals, values, anything good. IMO. They sold souls decades ago to power, money, fame..."

One viewer pointed out, "It's like they make up the craziest thing to get attention and stay relevant in the news. I would like to see the day where nobody replies to them, cause they just might implode."

A follower observed, "I’ve said for years that Behar is one of the stupidest people on TV."

One comment stated, "Only explanation for me is a demonic spirit dwells in her."

Another read, "The stupid is strong in this one."

DOGE overseen by Elon Musk faces legal roadblock after slashing federal spending

Donald Trump’s penny move is just one of several cost-cutting measures under his administration.

His newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), overseen by Elon Musk, has been aggressively slashing federal spending.

DOGE has already cut $1 billion in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and has proposed defunding USAID, America’s foreign aid agency.

The spending cuts haven’t been without controversy. A New York judge recently put the brakes on DOGE’s access to Treasury payment systems.

District Judge Paul A Engelmayer issued an emergency restraining order after 19 states, including New York, filed a legal challenge.

The order blocks all political appointees and external employees from accessing Treasury data and mandates the destruction of any information obtained by Musk’s DOGE since Inauguration Day.

But Trump remains undeterred. In a pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, he signaled his next target: education funding. “I ran on this, and the people want me to find this,” he said.

As for the Super Bowl itself, Trump made history as the first-ever sitting President to attend the game, where the Philadelphia Eagles took down the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.