Donald Trump seems to have found the perfect way to avoid an awkward conversation: talk about something else for as long as possible.
After his party’s historic midterm losses, the president gathered reporters to gush about his controversial White House ballroom on Wednesday.
“Read the room, Trump,” read a tweet about the U.S. president boasting about the $600 million ballroom.
Donald Trump dealt with the bruising election defeat by talking about everything except the election
Annabelle Gordon/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Standing at the under-construction ballroom site on Wednesday, Donald Trump enthusiastically described its grand limestone columns, 50-foot ceilings, thick marble floors, and heavy-set beams.
The president appeared particularly pleased with the project, giving reporters a tour of the building, which he said would be “droneproof” and “bulletproof.”
Calling the ballroom a “piece of art,” he added, “Envision chandeliers all over the ceiling, envision marble floors, this is going to be the most beautiful room.”
“…See the thickness and size of that steel? You can land anything on that roof, but it will be all drones,” he continued.
It would be “the safest place in Washington,” he added. “You can just sit here and just let people do whatever they want.”
He spoke about the vanity project for about 25 minutes and even signed a steel beam for what he claimed would be the world’s most “beautiful” ballroom.
Trump spent more than 20 minutes celebrating the ballroom without once addressing the election results
It was only when reporters began asking about the election results that Trump finally addressed his party’s poor performance.
When asked about the Democratic victories, the president appeared unfazed and insisted, “If I were on the ballot, I would have won.”
He spoke about appearing at several rallies ahead of the election and receiving a lot of support at the events. But ultimately, dozens of Trump-endorsed candidates lost to the Democrats.
“We weren’t able to transfer love to the candidates,” Trump told reporters.
Democrats flipped Republican-held seats in Texas, South Carolina, Kansas, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, and Maine, helping them regain control of the Senate and House of Representatives.
The president said he expected to get along with the Democrats, “unless they want to be destructive.”
“But I have the power of the veto,” he told reporters.
He also conceded that the war with Iran had “largely” contributed to the Democratic victories by driving up fuel prices. However, he still maintained that he had no choice but to go to war and would “do it again” if he had to.
The ex-reality television host insisted he would’ve won if he had been on the ballot
Trump’s decision to showcase his ballroom on Wednesday was similar to another unusual campaign moment.
On the eve of the election day, he chose to deliver his final campaign address at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, where he spent considerable time discussing its renovation, including its pipes, surrounding grass, and granite.
In recent months, the ex-reality TV host has repeatedly thrown the spotlight on his ambitious construction and beautification projects across the capital.
These include the White House ballroom, the refurbished Reflecting Pool, a proposed triumphal arch, a new White House helipad, and the cleaning of statues and monuments.
“This is the capital of our country, we have to make it beautiful, and we have to make it safe,” he said on Wednesday.
But the public has seemingly grown frustrated over the rising cost of living and the impact of his economic policies and war-related decisions.
Netizens accused Trump of being out of touch with everyday Americans
Following his ballroom tour on Wednesday, netizens claimed the president seemed disconnected from the everyday struggles of Americans.
“This is one of the reasons why Trump blew it, a ballroom was more important than the actual daily struggles of average Americans,” one commented online.
“Spend spend spend with no regard to working-class families,” said another.
“This is the very reason the GOP lost last night,” one said. “People don’t care about this. People want their gas to be down their prices to be down, not to have to max out their credit cards to live.”
One took a jibe at the president by mimicking what he possibly said about the ballroom. “‘It’ll have walls, doors, floors, bathrooms, kitchen, and even a ceiling!’ Didn’t watch, but I feel like that’s what was said,” read the comment.
Other comments took a lighter tone, saying: “Democrats got the House. President Trump got the ballroom. I know which one has better catering.”
Another welcomed the Democratic blue wave, saying: “We’re turning the ballroom into a drag show venue.”
“So this stupid ballroom is more important than my healthcare?” one commented online
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