“The View” host Joy Behar claimed on Tuesday that President Donald Trump was only calling for the Treasury Department to stop minting pennies because he was “jealous” of America’s 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, whose face appears on the coins.
Behar and her co-hosts on the ABC midday talk show were responding to Trump’s plan to stop minting pennies — which he explained when he made the announcement — and they determined that the only explanation that made any sense was that he did it to soothe his own ego.
“I mean it’s really — and he’s jealous of everybody. Now he’s getting rid of the penny, he’s even jealous of Lincoln,” Behar exclaimed.
“He’s so small, so petty,” she continued.
“Small and petty, absolutely,” co-host Sunny Hostin agreed.
The discussion on “The View” comes amid broader debates about the practicality of the penny in modern currency. Critics of the penny, including economists and financial experts, have long argued that the coin costs more to produce than its face value.
According to a 2021 report from the U.S. Mint, it costs approximately 2.1 cents to produce a single penny, raising questions about its economic efficiency. While some have suggested phasing out the penny to save taxpayer dollars, others argue that it holds cultural and historical significance, particularly as a tribute to President Lincoln.
President Trump’s proposal to halt penny production, however, has sparked partisan reactions. Supporters of the move point to the potential cost savings and modernization of U.S. currency, while detractors, like Behar, frame it as another example of Trump’s alleged self-centeredness.
WATCH:
Flaunting her profound ignorance of how even Obama floated the idea, ABC News's Joy Behar claims Trump wants to ax the penny because he's "jealous of Lincoln" and "small and petty." "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah," agrees former fed prosecutor Sunny Hostin.
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) February 11, 2025
In reality, the stated… pic.twitter.com/5lTHitXOle
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