Trump Tours White House Ballroom as Democrats Seize Congress

Donald Trump turned his midterm defeat into a hard-hat photo op. Less than 24 hours after his party got walloped at the polls, the president planted himself on the White House construction site and told reporters and network cameras that the whole thing was a miracle — and that they were the reason why. He was talking about the ballroom, not the blue wave.

Trump ran through the specs like a proud contractor: limestone columns, 50ft-high ceilings, room for more than 300 guests, heavy-set beams, thick marble floors, a military-grade bunker and a roof he described as drone-proof. He teased that it would open soon, then detoured into his love of construction and his other beautification projects across Washington. For more than 20 minutes, the Democratic sweep went unmentioned.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum kept the mood going, taking the microphone to declare Wednesday a day of celebration and a day of gratitude. Trump only got to the election once he opened the floor to questions. He said he would probably get along with Democrats unless they want to be destructive, and noted he has the power of the veto. He also admitted it was largely true that the war with Iran helped Democrats by pushing up fuel prices, while insisting the conflict was worth it.

The losses were sweeping. Democrats retook the House and the Senate, won several governorships and flipped Senate seats in historically red states including South Carolina, Texas, Kansas and North Carolina. They even held their ground in districts gerrymandered over the past year to help Republicans at Trump's urging.

Trump spent months telling supporters to pretend he was on the ballot. When Tuesday's results landed, he was quick to point out that he wasn't. The race was widely read as a referendum on the president and his agenda, and he wasn't buying the verdict, telling reporters that if he had been on the ballot, they would have won.

The ballroom stop echoed his final campaign address at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, where he detailed its pipes, granite and surrounding grass. For months he has kept the spotlight on the capital's construction projects: the ballroom, the refurbished pool, a planned triumphal arch, cleaned statues and monuments, and a new White House helipad. Meanwhile, Americans are growing more frustrated with his economic policies and the Iran war, which they blame for the rising cost of living.