Trump makes final midterm pitch in front of revamped Reflecting Pool
Trump said on Sunday in Iowa that the Reflecting Pool was "finished."
In a speech to mark the reopening of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after repairs, President Donald Trump joked that he would rename it after himself.
The president delivered remarks about the troubled repairs to the pool, which he said was damaged by vandals despite an admission in court that shoddy renovations commissioned by Trump caused its shuttering.
The president chose the site to address voters on the final day before the Tuesday midterm elections, which will determine control of the House and Senate.
Trump said on Sunday in Iowa that the Reflecting Pool was "finished." Asked why he was going there on Monday, Trump said in part that it was "just to show how beautiful it is."
Trump spoke on a platform decorated with signs that say “Restoring Our Capitol” and “The Reflecting Pool.” Behind him on the lectern is a sign with an aerial image of the pool that reads: “Back, and more beautiful than ever!”
After 20 minutes devoted to his D.C. construction projects, Trump said Tuesday’s elections could be the most important midterms “in our lifetime.”
The president tried to portray his political rivals as extremists, claiming that Democrats had “nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.”
The Democrats have seen their chances of winning control of the House and Senate improve because of public frustration over Trump’s inability to bring down inflation and his decision to launch the Iran war.
But Trump cautioned that sitting presidents usually struggle in the midterm elections as he said the U.S. has its most secure borders and largest income tax cuts in the nation’s history.
“For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms,” Trump said. “But we gave this a very strong shot.”
The president is then scheduled to join seven additional tele-rallies in the afternoon and into the evening, the White House said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
