WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump remained steadfast in his support for the Iran war, after acknowledging that the issue played a role in the widespread Republican losses during the midterm elections, while hosting an impromptu tour of the White House ballroom construction.
“I knew the war was going to impact it, but whether it impacted or not, Iran can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump told reporters on Wednesday during a ceremony to raise the last beam on the massive structure.
“As far as that war is concerned, I would have done nothing different.”
The conflict was top of mind for Americans who cast their ballots on Tuesday, according to exit polls.
Vice President JD Vance said in a statement Wednesday: “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said so last night.
“[E]veryone knows why we lost. And any honest conversation about where we go from here must start there.”
Citing a pollster he didn’t name, Vance wrote on X that for voters who voted for Trump but decided to vote for Democrats this midterm, the factors contributing to their change include the Iran war, cost of living, a lack of America-First focus, and the nation’s relationship with Israel.
Democrats flipped seven Senate seats, as of Nov. 4, with two more leaning their way, and gained 29 seats in the House of Representatives, with counting still underway.
Voters across the country reported rising fuel prices as a primary concern when heading to the polls, many linking the matter to supply chain issues driven by the Iran war.
The president said he was aware prices would increase, but had thought costs “would go up two or three times higher.”
Gas prices average $4.15 per gallon nationwide on Nov. 2, up $1.13 from a year ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Diesel costs rose $2.54 a gallon to an average of $6.29 nationally over the same period.
While on the campaign trail, Trump pleaded with supporters to vote as if it were a presidential election, leading dozens of rallies over the past month.
“If I were on the ballot, we would have won,” he said on Wednesday, noting the thousands of people who came to his events and the energy he experienced at his appearances across the heartland.
“We weren’t able to transfer the love to candidates.”
Democrats picked up Senate victories in Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and their candidates hold slim leads with ballots still outstanding in Alaska and Mississippi.
The White House issued a statement Nov. 4 saying that the president will not waver if Democrats attempt to undo much of the administration’s agenda, from border security to tax reform, among other issues.
“Attempts to impeach him, claw back his agenda, or reverse the gains of his Administration will meet the same fate as the Radical Left’s previous attempts: failure,” the statement reads. “President Trump will never stop fighting.”
Democrats could also choose to pursue investigations and impeachment hearings, in a similar fashion to their actions during Trump’s first term.
Trump did not mention the election outcomes in his opening remarks, in which he focused on the ballroom construction.
He described his vision for the structure, with exterior Corinthian limestone columns in the style of those gracing the Supreme Court, marble flooring from a “special vein,” a full-service kitchen below the main floor, and elaborate underground facilities for military operations.
The entire building will be bulletproof, droneproof, and small-missile-proof, with a drone command center on the roof.
Private individuals, including Trump, and businesses contributed the $400 million needed for construction, according to the president.
“You got it, free of charge. Thank you very much,” Trump said. “And it’s going to be, when it’s completed, it’ll be the best anywhere in the world.”
Once completed, the 89,000 square-foot building will include a 22,000 square-foot ballroom, 50-foot-tall ceilings, and will be capable of seating 1,000 guests.
Additional plans include space for the first lady’s office and a movie theater, according to a National Capital Planning Commission report.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, responsible for the National Park Service and its role in overseeing White House restoration, thanked the 512 construction workers in attendance.
“When you’re working here, you’re making history. This is going to be a gift for the next 100, 200, 250 years,” Burgum said. “This building will stand the test of time. Historic events will happen here, and they will look back to this day knowing that all of you were part of it.”
The construction crew, Burgum, and the president signed the final beam before it was lifted into place.
Legal challenges from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other groups sought to block construction, but work continued as courts weighed the merits of the claim.
Adding the ballroom is one part of Trump’s efforts to beautify the nation’s capital. He thanked the crews who helped restore 83 statues and fountains across Washington and held a ceremonial reopening of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in his last public event before the midterms.
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