President Donald Trump began his final scheduled in-person speech before Tuesday’s midterm elections with an extended discussion of the renovated Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial, rather than immediately focusing on the congressional contest.
Speaking Monday afternoon in front of the water feature, Trump announced what he called its official reopening after months of fencing and a troubled renovation ordered by his administration. He said the pool was now “better and more beautiful than it’s ever been before.”
Trump also repeated unfounded claims that vandals had damaged the pool and caused delays. U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told a court on July 31 that the damage resulted from a contractor’s botched installation, an explanation Trump has criticized while continuing to blame vandalism.
The speech lasted nearly an hour and was expected to serve as Trump’s closing argument ahead of the elections, which will determine control of the House and Senate in the next Congress. However, more than 20 minutes passed before he made his first explicit reference to the midterms.
Trump described the election as the most important midterm contest in his lifetime and called the Democratic slate of candidates “the most extreme and dangerous” in American history. He promoted his administration’s record, criticized Democratic candidates including Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed and repeated his claim that a Republican victory would mean “everybody is going to get $5,000.”
He urged voters to keep Congress strong and said he hoped they were ready to “do the right thing.” Trump also appeared to acknowledge the historical advantage Democrats often hold in midterm elections, when the president’s party typically loses ground.
“For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms. But we gave this a very strong shot,” he said.
Trump returned repeatedly to his Washington projects later in the speech. He discussed plans for a large triumphal arch, a promenade along the Potomac River and a “National Garden of American Heroes” featuring between 250 and 500 statues. He also mentioned continuing work to renovate a public golf course in Washington that faces legal challenges.
Sources: CNBC Markets.