Trump’s Go-To After a Historic Election Defeat? His Golden Ballroom.

After his party's historically devastating midterm election loss, President Donald Trump chose to focus on a different matter entirely: the completion of his golden ballroom at the White House. On Wednesday, the commander-in-chief addressed construction workers, boasting about the monumental structure that would soon rise from the site. Trump declared, "This is a special structure. It's going to be not only one of the biggest, but it'll be the most beautiful ballroom, I think, anywhere in the world."

While the construction project dominated Trump's public statements, he only briefly touched upon the election when prompted. The president's response was notably guarded, with a focus on deflecting blame rather than accepting responsibility. When reporters probed whether he regretted his campaign tactics, Trump remained resolute. "If I were on the ballot, we would have won," he insisted, dismissing any notion of electoral defeat.

Trump's comments extended to other topics as well. When asked about Vice President JD Vance's assertion that Republican losses stemmed from the ongoing war in Iran, Trump conceded that the issue was partly responsible. He explained, "It largely is true—driving gasoline prices up a little bit in the short term." However, Trump then reverted to his familiar narrative, suggesting that despite the temporary price hikes, his approach to Iran was ultimately the only viable long-term solution.

"If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again because long term, it’s the only answer. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear war."