Donald Trump delivered his final public speech ahead of the midterm elections, spending a significant portion of his remarks discussing the Washington Reflecting Pool and other local monuments before turning to political topics.
Focus on Washington Monuments
Trump began his remarks with more than 20 minutes of commentary centered largely on the Reflecting Pool, alongside his administration’s efforts to refurbish other monuments in the Washington area and crack down on crime in the capital. Stating that the pool is now better and more beautiful than ever, Trump repeated claims that vandals were responsible for damaging the pool and delaying repairs.
However, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro told a court on July 31 that the damage was actually caused by a contractor’s botched installation. Trump lashed out at Pirro over this admission while continuing to maintain that vandals were to blame.
Later in the speech, Trump returned to discussing the pool, as well as his push to erect a massive triumphal arch in Washington and plans to build a promenade along the Potomac River. He also announced government plans to build a National Garden of American Heroes featuring 250 to 500 statues, and discussed ongoing efforts to renovate a public golf course in Washington that faces legal challenges.
Addressing the Midterm Elections
Trump made his first explicit reference to the midterms around the 23-minute mark of his address. Calling it the most important midterm in a lifetime, he criticized the Democratic Party for nominating what he termed the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.
Trump touted his administration’s record and criticized specific Democratic candidates by name, including Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed. He also repeated his claim that if Republicans win, everyone will receive $5,000, while urging citizens to keep Congress strong and free and expressing hope that voters are ready to do the right thing.
Despite his calls to action, Trump seemed to acknowledge that Democrats held an advantage based on historical trends showing that a sitting president’s party tends to underperform in midterm elections. Noting that the sitting president typically does not win the midterms, he stated that his side gave it a very strong shot.
