Donald Trump has described the elections that will decide control of Congress for the rest of his term as the most important “in our lifetime”. He cautioned, however, that the sitting president “doesn’t win the midterms”, while adding that “we gave this a very strong shot”.
Mr Trump again criticised his Democrat opponents, branding them extremists and claiming the party had “nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history”.
Final pitch focuses on Washington projects
The US president devoted much of his final appeal to voters to building projects in Washington, DC, including the troubled renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which he has blamed on vandals, a claim not supported by his own administration. He joked that “serious thought” was being given to renaming the monument after himself.
He also outlined plans for a triumphal arch that he said would be “more beautiful” than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, but which has already drawn legal challenges.
Millions head to the polls
Millions of US voters go to the polls on November 3 for the congressional races, widely seen as a referendum on the president’s record. Many have already cast ballots 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.
Democrats are tipped to retake the House of Representatives, while 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 fuelled by the Iran war, which Mr Trump launched with Israel earlier this year.
The president has held rallies in Republican strongholds to shore up support and boost turnout, and promised every adult US citizen 5,000 dollars if his party kept control of both chambers. Democrats have faced internal divisions, underlined by a public fallout in the Michigan Senate race.
Potential consequences of a Democrat win
If the party gained one or both chambers, it would be able to block legislation and launch investigations into the conduct of Mr Trump’s White House. The president would still retain executive authority in key areas and the power of veto.
Speaking at the reopening of the reflecting pool, Mr Trump said: “As you know, this is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime.” He added: “The Democrat Party has nominated the most extreme and dangerous slate of candidates in American history.”
He went on: “Usually, whoever the sitting president is, Republican or Democrat, good or bad, good president, great president. For some reason, the sitting president doesn’t win the midterms. But we gave this a very strong shot.”
Responding on X, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: “Donald Trump’s pathetic closing message as his illegal war rages, his corruption mounts, and the inflation he caused persists.”
Earlier, Mr Trump said he would not hesitate to give pardons to those around him to protect them from potential criminal liability if the Democrats took control of at least one chamber. He told a New York Post podcast: “I would if I needed to, sure. I would not even think about – I’d do it.” He pointed to amnesties granted by former president Joe Biden to family members, administration officials and politicians, including those who investigated the January 6 attack on the US Capitol in 2021.
The outcome of the elections will influence the debate and party strategies in the run-up to the 2028 presidential race.
