Trump praises White House ballroom in first remarks after Democrats win midterms

Ballroom tour instead of a post-election statement

Donald Trump made his first public remarks since Democrats took control of the House and Senate on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, standing at the construction site of the White House ballroom. Reporters were called in on short notice, and for about 20 minutes he did not address the midterm results from the vote held on Tuesday evening, 3 November. Estimates of the length of the appearance vary, with one report putting it at more than 10 minutes. Instead he walked construction workers through the project, which is planned with 50-foot ceilings and room for hundreds of guests. He also listed other projects meant to beautify Washington, including a new heliport and further beautification work. He claimed the ballroom was ahead of schedule and below its expected cost.

The ballroom dominated his remarks. He told the crowd:

“This will be the ballroom. Right here is the ballroom.”

He then described the magnificent exterior columns planned for one side of the building, saying they were very much like those of the Supreme Court and would be taller and even more impressive.

Iran war and petrol prices

Trump addressed the defeat only when pressed by reporters. Asked about comments by Vice President J. D. Vance, who attributes the Republican losses to the war against Iran, he agreed Vance was largely right. He said the conflict had pushed petrol prices up a little, and only in the short term. He nonetheless rejected any regret over the decision to enter the war, saying that if he had to do it again he would, and that the aim was to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He told reporters the United States had to deal with Iran and would keep doing so. He also said he had no problem with an earlier social media post by Vance.

Republican reactions and the broadcast

Ron DeSantis, Trump's rival in the 2024 Republican primaries, called the midterm result an "extinction-level event for Republicans" in his first public remarks since the vote. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the president's main partner on construction projects in the capital, told attendees the day was one of celebration and gratitude. Trump signed the final beam with a thick black marker before it was raised into place. Meanwhile Republicans were blaming one another for the results, and strategists were publishing long analyses of the causes on X. Fox News interrupted its live coverage after about ten minutes, while the remarks continued on the White House YouTube channel.

Court history of the project

The ballroom has been one of the subjects Trump has returned to most often since he came back to the presidency, and it has drawn controversy. Works were at one point suspended by court order. A divided court later allowed the White House to continue building the ballroom, which is budgeted at $400 million.