Trump Closes Midterm Campaign With Reflecting Pool Focus as Voters Worry About Prices/ NEWSLOOKS/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ President Donald Trump devoted the opening of his final midterm speech Monday to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool and other Washington renovations. Republicans face an election shaped by voter frustration over prices and the Iran war as they fight to retain Congress. Democrats pressed their case in Republican-leaning territory while managing fallout from Haley Stevens’ endorsement of Mike Rogers in Michigan.
Quick Look
- Closing speech: Trump spoke at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the eve of Election Day.
- Renovation focus: He spent more than 20 minutes discussing the pool and other Washington projects.
- Official reopening: Trump announced the pool’s reopening and joked about naming it after himself.
- False vandalism claims: He again blamed vandalism for damage attributed to poor workmanship.
- Additional outreach: Trump was scheduled to participate in nine Republican telerallies.
- Vance’s campaign stops: The vice president traveled to New York and Ohio to support Republican candidates.
- Democratic push: Iowa gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand campaigned with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
- Michigan divisions: Abdul El-Sayed urged supporters to vote after Stevens endorsed his Republican rival.
Deep Look
Trump Centers Closing Address on Washington Renovations
President Donald Trump used his final midterm campaign speech Monday to showcase the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, devoting more than 20 minutes at the start of his remarks to the renovation project and other changes around Washington.
Speaking on the eve of an election that will determine control of Congress, Trump announced the pool’s official reopening, joked about naming it after himself and again falsely attributed its repair problems to vandalism.
He discussed the shade of blue selected for the pool’s bottom, grass varieties and columns chosen for other Washington projects. He also displayed enlarged photographs of rusted pipes taken during the renovation.
Trump later turned to a more familiar campaign message, defending his administration’s record and criticizing Democratic candidates.
The setting was an unusual choice for a closing appeal aimed at preserving Republican congressional majorities, particularly as voters expressed concern about the cost of living.
Reflecting Pool Project Faced Repeated Problems
The Reflecting Pool, beneath the Lincoln Memorial, is among Washington’s best-known landmarks. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech from the memorial’s steps in 1963, overlooking the basin.
During his second term, Trump has made the pool a recurring subject of public remarks and social media posts.
He displayed posters about the renovation in the Oval Office and had his motorcade driven over the resurfaced basin before it was refilled.
The project subsequently encountered significant problems. Algae accumulated in the water, while sections of its “American-flag blue” liner peeled away and floated to the surface.
The Justice Department charged former Olympian David Hearn with intentionally damaging the pool, then dropped the case during the summer after determining that he was not responsible.
Despite findings that shoddy workmanship caused the peeling surface, Trump continued to blame vandalism.
Signs at Monday’s event read “Restoring Our Capitol” and “The Reflecting Pool.” A display poster proclaimed: “Back, and more beautiful than ever!”
Affordability Concerns Shape Election Stakes
Trump’s focus on construction projects contrasted with the economic concerns dominating the campaign.
Democrats have sought to capitalize on frustration over high prices, the consequences of the Iran war and the historical tendency for the president’s party to lose ground in midterm elections.
Trump has called affordability a “hoax” while frequently promoting renovations to the White House and Reflecting Pool during campaign appearances outside Washington.
His recent rallies have also included repeated praise for the physiques of Republican candidates.
Alongside Monday’s speech, Trump was scheduled to join nine telerallies, using brief remarks on mass telephone calls to encourage Republican turnout.
Vance Promotes Republican Policies in New York and Ohio
Vice President JD Vance pursued a more conventional final-day campaign scheduletraveling to New York and Ohio, where Republicans were defending House and Senate opportunities.
At a stop in Rome, New York, Vance campaigned for Republican House candidates Kailee Buller and Anthony Constantino.
He promoted Trump’s moves to eliminate taxes on tips and overtime and strengthen border security.
Vance also attacked Democrats as “lunatics” who hold American voters in contempt.
Iowa Democrats Seek Breakthrough in Governor’s Race
Democrats spent the campaign’s final day pressing for gains in states where Republicans have long held an advantage.
In Iowa, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Rob Sand urged volunteers to make the most of their remaining canvassing time as he sought to become the state’s first elected Democratic governor in two decades.
“This is it,” said Sand, who faces Republican Zach Lahn. “We have 30-whatever hours to change the direction of the state of Iowa.”
Sand appeared with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a potential 2028 presidential contender.
Beshear pointed to his own electoral victories as evidence that Democrats can defeat Trump-backed candidates in Republican-leaning states.
Michigan Democrats Confront Stevens Endorsement Fallout
Michigan Democrats continued working to hold their coalition together after Rep. Haley Stevens endorsed Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers on Sunday.
Stevens, who narrowly lost the Democratic primary to Abdul El-Sayed, appeared with Rogers at a church service before announcing her support.
The split exposed longstanding disagreements over Israel. Stevens strongly supports the U.S. ally, while El-Sayed has been a fierce critic.
El-Sayed has also faced criticism over past remarks concerning a Michigan synagogue attack and appearances with controversial streamer Hasan Piker.
Michigan remains central to Democratic efforts to regain the Senate, making the last-minute rupture particularly consequential.
Campaigning Monday with Rep. Debbie Dingell and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, El-Sayed urged supporters to channel their concerns into turnout.
“If we’re nervous about where we’re going to go from here, go vote.”
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