• Analysis
Trump unveils $14m Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool renovation in final midterm press conference
Donald Trump unveiled the delayed $14m renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington DC on Monday, at what was expected to be his final press conference before the midterm elections.
What changed at the pool
The president walked reporters through the works at the Washington DC reflecting pool on Monday afternoon, detailing changes to the pool's pipe, the grass surrounding the area and the granite. The unveiling came months after the makeover was first announced in June.
- •The project was billed as a unifying gesture at the close of the campaign.
- •Trump told reporters: "This project should be a project that unites all Americans."
The backdrop was less flattering: polls indicated most voters felt Trump had grown too focused on building projects in the nation's capital. He also accused his Democratic predecessors, Joe Biden and Barack Obama, of overspending on previous renovations, without evidence.
A troubled project
The $14m reflecting pool ran into trouble soon after the June announcement. A massive algae bloom turned the water green instead of the promised "American flag blue", and the coating started to peel away.
Trump alleged that vandals were to blame for the damage, although his administration failed to produce evidence.
- •Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn was initially charged over alleged damage to the pool.
- •The office of the US attorney Jeanine Pirro later dropped the case, infuriating the president.
Hearn's attorneys said the dismissal "does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong".
Pivot to the midterms
About 20 minutes in, with the vote less than a day away, Trump left the pool behind and turned to the midterm elections, which he called crucial.
He observed that the party holding the White House tends to shed seats in these contests.
"We gave this a very strong shot," Trump said.
According to the polls, Democrats held slim leads across five contested Senate contests: in Texas, Alaska, Kansas, Iowa and Maine. The mood among voters has been sour, with the president's economic stewardship a particular complaint. Grocery and petrol costs have climbed since January, and inflation has stayed elevated, driven largely by the war with Iran that Trump launched in late February. The unveiling came on the eve of the vote.
