Trump touts renovation projects instead of addressing cost of living in final midterm push

On November 2, 2026, Donald Trump held his final campaign rally before the midterm elections at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., aiming to energize voters and keep Republicans in control of Congress. Despite past victories in traditionally Republican states like Florida, Iowa, and Kansas, Trump's visit highlighted how competitive these races had become. In his speech, however, he spent significant time discussing updates to the Reflecting Pool itself, leading Whoopi Goldberg and other critics to mock the event as a distraction from substantive issues. The president later defended the speech against criticism, arguing that it was meant to be lighthearted and focused on positive achievements of his administration.