Trump to deliver ‘closing argument’ for midterms in front of his once-botched Reflecting Pool: Live updates

Trump boasts ‘I would have won Vietnam on one week’President Donald Trump is set to deliver his “closing argument” to midterm voters at the iconic Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. - a site dogged by the administration’s botched repair job.The monument has been largely sealed off to the public after a $14 million renovation caused the pool’s “American flag blue” coat to peel. Pieces of the blue coating were seen floating in the water, while algae blooms turned the pool an unsightly green in the summer. Trump has chosen to speak at the site for his final pitch so that he can also tout his efforts to renovate landmarks across the nation’s capital, a White House official told Axios.The president is due to hold nine telerallies in addition to the 2 p.m. speech in D.C. in a final sprint to the finish on Election Eve.Elsewhere, in Michigan, the Senate race has been dominated by Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens’ stunning endorsement of Republican Mike Rogers over Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens has been accused of an enormous “betrayal” after she endorsed Rogers at a church service in Detroit Sunday.Over 50 million Americans have already voted in this year’s midterms, outpacing 2022’s early turnout rate.Trump claims Reflecting Pool 'hasn't worked ever' Trump has complained about the drama surrounding the Reflecting Pool renovation on the campaign trail - even standing by his claim that vandals destroyed it, despite federal prosecutors telling a court a botched installation of the lining was responsible.“Even the Reflecting Pool, you hear the fake news. So much fake news. It was built in 1922, and it hasn’t worked ever,” Trump claimed at a campaign event in Perry, Georgia, last week. “It’s the longest swimming pool in history. It goes all the way from Lincoln to George Washington, covers the whole territory and it always leaked.”“And we had tremendous vandalism. And we had it pretty well, but we’re gonna undo it anyway because we had to the pipes. We wanted to get it done for July 4 temporarily.”You’ll have to tune in at 2 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. GMT to find out if he brings it up again.Trump has complained about the drama surrounding the Reflecting Pool renovation on the campaign trail (Reuters)Rhian Lubin2 November 2026 15:26Trump's Election Eve scheduleIt’s Election Eve and President Donald Trump’s schedule is packed with nine telerallies and an in-person speech at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Trump is due to deliver his final pitch to voters at the iconic Washington, D.C. site at 2 p.m. ET. The Reflecting Pool has been chosen because the president plans to address his efforts to renovate landmarks across the nation’s capital, a White House official told Axios.It has been the scene of controversy this year after a $14 million botched repair job resulted in the “American flag blue” coating to peel off the bottom of the pool. Algae blooms also turned the water green.Trump made baseless claims of vandalism that didn’t hold up in court. The pool has been largely sealed off from the public this year.The Reflecting Pool pictured in June, 2026, after algae blooms appeared in the water (Getty Images)Rhian Lubin2 November 2026 14:45Concern mounting for Haley Stevens after GOP endorsement Haley Stevens gave a disastrous interview to Anderson Cooper on CNN Sunday night in which she struggled to explain her sudden decision to walk away from Abdul El-Sayed.Her performance has sparked concern among fellow Democrats, with Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell describing it as “one of the most painful interviews I’ve ever watched.”Joe Sommerlad has the details.Rhian Lubin2 November 2026 14:30Crowd chants ‘AOC for president!’ at New York rallyThe progressive Democrat brushed aside the call for her to run for the White House in two years’ time in order to focus on the business at hand.Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 13:00‘Mr Veto’: Trump maps a path to govern without Congress if Republicans lose controlThe president appears to be already resigned to the prospect of Democrats seizing control on Capitol Hill this week and looking ahead to blocking their legislation whenever he can.Here’s more.Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 12:30Trump melts down at another reporter at Mar-a-Lago Halloween party In case you missed it over the weekend, he’s the president once more lashing out at a journalist, this time for asking about the Iran war.Brendan Rascius reports.Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 12:00Watch: Haley Stevens posts endorsement video for Mike RogersHere’s the Democrat’s original post explaining her controversial decision……and here’s some more Democratic reaction to her “sad, desperate attempt to be relevant” after losing her primary this summer. Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 11:30Stevens gives ‘trainwreck’ interview to Anderson CooperThe turncoat Democrat attempted to explain herself on CNN last night. It did not go well.Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 11:00Top story: Democrats rocked by ‘despicable betrayal’ on eve of midterms voteSenior Democrats rounded on Rep. Haley Stevens Sunday after the defeated Michigan primary candidate broke with her party to endorse Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers on the eve of the midterms.Stevens announced her endorsement in a video over the weekend, withdrawing her support for Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee and her former rival, after a falling-out over Israel.“As you may have seen, our Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Abdul, said I was no longer welcome in his campaign and that I should stay away, and he's right,” Stevens said. “And that’s why I am endorsing Mike Rogers for the U.S. Senate today.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reacted with fury, writing on X: “This is a despicable betrayal from Rep. Stevens. Senate Democrats are united in our support for Abdul El-Sayed, because we know he will fight for the economic interests of working families in Michigan, unlike Mike Rogers, who is a tool of Donald Trump and billionaire donors.”Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was also angry, posting on the same platform: “Haley Stevens has chosen to dangerously betray Michigan families’ healthcare, freedoms and future with her horrific endorsement of Mike Rogers. Abdul El-Sayed must win – because Michigan and our country deserve better.”It did not go well for Stevens on the streets of Detroit either.Trump, of course, absolutely loved it.Here’s more from Brendan Rascius.Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 10:30Watch: Trump claims in Iowa he could have stopped Vietnam War in a weekBefore Kansas, Trump was in Dubuque, Iowa, where he was introduced by House speaker Mike Johnson, who insisted “the polls are wrong” and praised the president for never sleeping.Trump himself said the candidate he was there to promote, Ashley Hinson, used to be overweight, that The New York Times should be prosecuted for publishing poll unfavorable to him, that Barack Obama should not be disparaging the Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecake and insisted inflation is under control, contrary to the evidence.He also claimed he could have won the Vietnam War in a week (he promised to stop the Ukraine war in 24 hours back in 2024 – and secured five draft deferrals from Vietnam as a young man, citing bone spurs).Joe Sommerlad2 November 2026 10:00