Trump is soothing the midterms loss with what he loves best: interior design

Fresh off a historic midterm defeat for Republicans, President Donald Trump spent his first public appearance afterward touring the White House ballroom construction site rather than assessing the loss. As workers readied the final beam, he spoke for over twenty minutes about marble floors, columns, cocktail rooms and Corinthian design, and explained that the kitchens will sit underground because a kitchen takes about 30% of a floor's space. Pressed by reporters about the election, he said he would have won had he been on the ballot. Columnist Arwa Mahdawi notes that he had earlier urged voters to pretend he was, a line the Washington Post counted him repeating 63 times, according to The Guardian.

This contrasts with 2018, when Trump answered losing the House with anger, insults and a declaration of "tremendous success." Mahdawi argues the new tone fits a second term focused on legacy projects. Former President Barack Obama mocked the White House's gold-heavy look at an Ohio rally; Trump replied that he paid for the work himself.

Democrats, now controlling both chambers, are examining the ballroom's funding and could try to block projects Congress never authorized.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →