In his final in-person appearance before the midterm elections, President Donald Trump spent the majority of his time discussing construction projects his administration has undertaken in Washington.
Speaking near the Lincoln Memorial, Trump presented photos intended to highlight renovations, joking he would rename the Reflecting Pool after himself. The pool's multimillion-dollar renovation has encountered issues including peeling sealant and algae growth.
Trump also spoke about topics such as grass, topsoil, pipes, columns, graffiti, stone types, and crime and homelessness levels in Washington. He also criticized former FBI Director James Comey. "Like the human being, grass has a life also," he remarked.
Approximately 23 minutes into his speech, Trump briefly addressed midterm election topics, repeating rhetoric about the Democratic Party nominating "extreme and dangerous" candidates. He stated, "We’ll defend our country, our culture and our heritage for generations to come. We’re going to keep it the way it is. We’re going to make it better, and just."
He then returned to discussing his renovation projects, expressing pride in the work done on statues and monuments across Washington and claiming credit for reducing crime in the city. Trump dedicated about 10 minutes of his more than 40-minute speech to the election, which would determine Republican control of the House and Senate. This was his only scheduled in-person appearance before Election Day, though additional "telerallies" were expected.