Trump Holds Closing Campaign Speech at Reopened Pool

On the eve of the U.S. midterm elections, President Donald Trump used his final public appearance as a closing campaign speech at the renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, spending much of it promoting the project rather than focusing on voters’ concerns, including high prices and the Iran conflict. The renovation cost about $14 million, far above its initial $1.5 million estimate, and the pool faced algae, peeling paint and repeated repairs. Trump again blamed vandalism for the damage, although officials acknowledged faulty installation was responsible and prosecutors dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn. Trump urged supporters to vote and warned of a radical Democratic agenda, while polls pointed to Democrats taking the House and competing strongly for the Senate, though forecasts remained uncertain. Republicans and Democrats criticized the speech’s focus on Washington renovations as an ineffective closing pitch for Republican candidates.