Trump touts ballroom construction to deflect from GOP midterm losses
The president spent nearly 20 minutes detailing building specs at a construction site rather than addressing the Republican defeat in states like Texas.
By Jenna Mitchell ·
President Donald Trump spent Wednesday detailing the architecture of his new White House ballroom instead of addressing the Republican losses in Tuesday's midterm elections. The president stood on a construction site where the East Wing had been demolished and spoke for nearly 20 minutes to reporters.
Trump emphasized specific building features while ignoring the party's defeat in key conservative states, including Texas and South Carolina. He described the ballroom as the safest place in Washington, noting it stretches five stories underground. The structure features marble from a vein he said people have sought for 50 years.
The president discussed the subterranean kitchen design at length. He explained that placing the kitchen on the top floor would require sacrificing three walls because kitchens consume about 30 percent of the available space. Trump signed the final steel beam during the ceremony, writing the word Love in large letters.
Polling data suggests voters viewed the president's priorities as misaligned with their concerns. An AP Voter Poll indicated that two-thirds of voters believed Trump focused on the wrong issues. The overwhelming majority of these voters supported Democratic House candidates. Many cited high living costs and federal corruption as primary reasons for their votes.
Trump attempted to shift blame for the election results during a question and answer session at the site. He argued that he did not lead the party into a defeat because he was not on the ballot. He claimed that enthusiastic crowds at his rallies could not transfer their support to the actual candidates. An Associated Press analysis of 39 speeches and rallies from September 1 through Election Day found that Trump used phrasing implying he was a candidate in 30 of them.
The president has a history of distancing himself from election losses. In 2018, he blamed specific defeated members of his party for their results. This cycle, he posted on social media last month that Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton would lose because of weak political figures like John Cornyn and Karl Rove. Trump also suggested Texas Governor Greg Abbott lost because he became a Republican in Name Only in the final six months of the campaign.
