Trump Focuses on White House Ballroom After Midterm Election Defeat
Following a major midterm election defeat, US President Donald Trump focused on his White House ballroom construction project, dismissing criticism while defending the war with Iran and declining to dismiss key officials.
A day after suffering a major midterm election defeat, US President Donald Trump chose to focus on the construction site of his new White House ballroom rather than immediate political fallout. As the Democrats prepare to retake Congress, Trump spent over 20 minutes discussing architectural details, including Corinthian marble columns and steel beams, during a ceremony to install the final beam.
Dismissing criticism that his priorities are misplaced while Americans struggle with high prices and the aftermath of the conflict with Iran, Trump defended his focus. "It takes very little time," he said. "I love it, it calms me down. For me, it's real, I love construction." According to reports, the appearance reflected a campaign where the president prioritized personal projects over party unity despite low approval ratings.
While Interior Secretary Doug Burgum praised him as the "builder-in-chief of the United States," nearly two-thirds of voters expressed dissatisfaction with his priorities. When finally addressing the election results, Trump sought to distance himself from the defeat, asserting that his own presence on the ballot would have changed the outcome. He acknowledged that high prices driven by the war with Iran contributed to the losses, but insisted he would wage the conflict again.
Trump also stated he has no intention of firing US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth despite party demands for accountability, and responded mildly to Vice President JD Vance's criticism of the war's impact. Concluding his remarks, Trump abruptly returned to his preferred topic, inviting reporters to inspect the helicopter pad and the ballroom's future chandeliers.
