As the high-stakes midterm elections reach their final hours, U.S. President Donald Trump delivered his closing campaign address on Monday from a historic setting in Washington, D.C., spending a significant portion of his speech discussing infrastructure projects rather than traditional campaign appeals.
Speaking in front of the newly reopened Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, Trump devoted more than 20 minutes of his nearly hour-long remarks to the physical restoration of the landmark. He detailed the engineering challenges of re-caulking, fixing piping, managing drainage, and selecting an "American-flag blue" liner, while displaying enlarged photos of rusted pipes and joking about renaming the site.
After highlighting his efforts to beautify the nation's capital, Trump pivoted to the congressional elections, warning voters against Democratic candidates and attacking opponents on national security. The president also pointed to falling oil prices following diplomatic developments with Iran, while dismissing the possibility of renewing military strikes after the polls close.
The speech capped a weekslong travel blitz that saw the president visit numerous states to support Republican candidates fighting to maintain control of Congress. Following his appearance at the Reflecting Pool, Trump was scheduled to participate in nine pre-election tele-rallies across the country on Monday ahead of Tuesday's voting.
