Trump brags about his White House ballroom and seeks to deflect blame for GOP midterm drubbing

President Donald Trump held a press conference at the construction site of the new White House ballroom on Wednesday, shortly after Republicans suffered midterm election losses. During the event, Trump boasted about the impressive scale of the building project, which will span five stories underground and feature marble from a vein previously sought after for 50 years. He emphasized the ballroom's grandeur, calling it "the safest place in Washington."

In contrast to the customary post-election introspection, Trump made no mention of his party's midterm defeat, nor the reasons behind it such as voter concerns about the high cost of living and federal corruption. Instead, he focused on the technical details of the construction and the ceremonial raising of the final steel beam, which he signed with the message "Love!" followed by his name in large letters.

Voter polls indicate that many Americans believe Trump's priorities were misplaced, and his behavior during the campaign, including staging rallies where he claimed to be on the ballot, may have contributed to the party's losses. Trump himself acknowledged that he didn't run for office this year, insisting, "If I were on the ballot, I would have won."

However, the blame for the party's electoral drubbing was primarily directed towards the candidates themselves, with Trump suggesting that they were ineffective political operatives.