Donald Trump devoted a large portion of his final pitch to voters before Tuesday's US midterm elections to discussing grass and algae, in a speech one UK commentator called "one of the most bizarre midterm-eve presidential appearances ever".
Speaking at the reopening of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, the president mentioned the word "grass" roughly 20 times as he praised his administration's efforts to clean up beauty spots in the capital. At one point he held up a photo of the reflecting pool after its water had turned green.
"That's not grass, that's algae," Trump said. "The pool is now better and more beautiful than it's ever been before, and we're very proud of it."
Criticism from commentators and Democrats
Sky News US Correspondent Mark Stone said: "His meandering speech, full of demonstrably false statements, suggests that his communications team have totally lost control of the messaging."
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer responded on X: "Donald Trump's pathetic closing message as his illegal war rages, his corruption mounts, and the inflation he caused persists."
Election stakes and expectations
Trump eventually turned to the midterms, saying the elections that will decide control of Congress for the rest of his term are the most important "in our lifetime". He cautioned that the sitting president "doesn't win the midterms", in an apparent move to manage expectations, though he added that "we gave this a very strong shot".
He also again attacked his Democrat opponents, branding them extremists and claiming the party had "nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history".
Voters head to the polls
Millions of US voters head to the polls on Tuesday for the hotly contested congressional races, seen as a referendum on the president's record. Many people have already cast their ballot in the midterms, which are the most expensive in US history.
A number of state governorships are also being contested, including in California, where the Republican candidate is Steve Hilton, a former top aide to David Cameron. While the Democrats have been tipped to retake the House of Representatives from the Republicans, the fight for the Senate remains on a knife edge.
The challengers are expected to benefit from voter discontent over the cost of living and high energy prices. Trump has held rallies in traditional Republican strongholds to shore up support and boost turnout, and promised every adult US citizen $5,000 if his party kept control of both the House and Senate.
The Democrats have faced their own challenges during the campaign with internal divisions, underlined by a public fallout in the Michigan Senate race. If the party gained one or both chambers it would be able to block legislation and launch investigations into the conduct of Trump's White House. However, the president would still have executive authority in key areas and the power of veto, which could frustrate his opponents' efforts on Capitol Hill.
