Trump plans midterm closing speech at Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on 2 November

Final speech planned at the Reflecting Pool

Donald Trump is expected to close his midterm campaign with a speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington on 2 November, one day before the midterm elections on 3 November. An official cited by Axios said the speech is scheduled for 2pm ET and will recap the accomplishments of his administration and congressional Republicans. The official added that it will also cover the administration's work in the capital, which it describes as "restoring our Great Capital". Other reports say Trump plans to talk about his building projects in Washington while making a final appeal to voters. Whether the event goes ahead is still open.

A renovation that ran late and over budget

Trump had promised a fast and comparatively cheap restoration of the pool. The project began in April, when he said he wanted to change the pool's color, and the work ran almost three months behind schedule. The final bill was more than ten times the roughly $1.5 million originally cited. After the reopening, algae formed in the water and the new blue lining partly peeled away, forcing the basin to be drained again. Trump first blamed vandalism, but according to AP, prosecutors later concluded that faulty work caused the damage, and the case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn was dismissed. Trump has also criticised his own Justice Department for dropping the vandalism charges.

Rallies, a Kansas stop and the vote

Trump has spent the past month holding more than 25 rallies, mostly in conservative areas, while Republicans try to offset his low approval ratings. Polling suggests the Iran war, high energy costs and rising living expenses could bring significant Democratic gains on election night. Speaking to reporters after landing for a rally in Iowa on 1 November, Trump said that an event at the landmark would "show how beautiful it is", and he added:

“We might hold it tomorrow or something.”

In a social media message, he had also called his rally in Kansas on the evening of 1 November his last stop. A Washington event would therefore mark a shift from his rally strategy, and it would take place at a site that has proved both contentious and embarrassing.

Criticism of his building projects

Trump has used his second term to reshape the White House and the capital to mirror his personal taste. Planned changes include gold touches in the Oval Office, tearing down the East Wing to build a large ballroom, turning the Rose Garden into a patio resembling his Mar-a-Lago estate, and building a large helipad on the South Lawn. He has also closed the Kennedy Center, outlined a massive arch on the city's outskirts, and pushed to renovate a century-old municipal golf course. Barack Obama and other Democrats argue that he spends excessive time on construction projects. Trump has dismissed that criticism, saying renovations help him relax and that he carries them out quickly without lengthy planning.

What to watch before the vote

The open question is whether Trump uses the speech to make a broader appeal to voters or focuses on his administration's record before the vote. Republicans are trying to preserve their congressional majorities in the midterm elections on 3 November. Polling has pointed to possible Democratic gains, while Trump's approval ratings remain low. If the speech goes ahead, it will be his final appeal to voters before polls open.