Politics

Trump Highlights White House Ballroom Amid Post‑Election Losses

By Reuters

Hours after the Republican Party suffered historic losses in the midterm election, President Donald Trump held his first public event on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, focusing on the White House ballroom. In the early afternoon, after a quiet morning from the administration, Mr. Trump called reporters to a ceremony where crews hoisted what he described as the final steel beam of the new structure. He met with construction workers and gave his second update of the week on a series of beautification projects in Washington, D.C. “They’re being carved out of beautiful limestone,” he said of the ballroom’s pillars. “And they’ll be Corinthian, Corinthian design, which is considered the creme de la creme.” Democrats took control of the Senate and House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, winning seats in deeply conservative states that typically favor Republicans by double digits. The political reversal prompted the White House to acknowledge the unpopularity of the U.S.–Israeli war with Iran. Some Republican strategists have called for the administration to wrap up the war and shift its focus to lowering prices for American consumers instead of building opulent structures throughout Washington. On Monday, November 2, 2026, Mr. Trump dedicated most of his final television speech before Tuesday’s election to his administration’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Other projects include a granite White House helicopter landing pad, a public golf course renovation and a 250‑foot arch he plans to build beside the Potomac River. Mr. Trump’s first appearance after the election gave little indication that he wanted to change course. During Wednesday’s nearly 20‑minute event, he acknowledged criticism for spending so much time and energy on prestige projects, but said the ballroom was needed for the glory of the country. “I like it,” he said. “For me, it’s relaxing.” The president paused to watch the beam’s installation while reporters asked about the possibility of his impeachment by a Congress led by Democrats. “Now, envision chandeliers all over,” he said. “Envision marble floors. Oh, it’s going to be good.”