President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that it was “largely true” the Iran war contributed to Republican losses in the midterm elections, and he said he would order it again.
He spoke after touring the White House ballroom construction site, his first public appearance since Democrats won control of the House and the Senate.
“If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again. I had no choice… you can’t have Iran get a nuclear weapon.”
Trump said he had seen Vice President JD Vance’s social media post blaming the war for the party’s midterm results. “I know how he feels about it. I think it was fine,” Trump said.
Asked when the conflict would end, the president said he would stop it “whenever I want it to.” He added that it would “have to be done right.”
Hours before the appearance, Trump had acknowledged that the war and higher gas prices played a role in the Republican defeats.
Several Republicans have since blamed him for the losses and questioned whether the MAGA era is ending.
Reporters also asked about the 2028 presidential race. Trump gave no names.
“You don’t know who’s talking about running, maybe you’re going to have a lot of people running, maybe nobody’s going to run. Maybe he won’t run. I don’t know who is going to run,”
He also rejected a question about replacing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth after the election. “No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” he said.
The remarks followed a morning event on the ballroom site, where Trump invited the press to watch crews raise the final steel beam into the ceiling.
Workers had already signed the beam. Trump added his own signature as White House staffers and construction crews applauded.
“It’s going to be not only one of the biggest, but it’ll be the most beautiful ballroom, I think, anywhere in the world,” he said.
The president walked reporters through the plans. The room will hold up to 2,500 guests, and five floors of infrastructure will run beneath the White House.
The kitchen will sit under the ballroom, not on the main floor or off to one side. “It’s going to be top-of-the-line,” he added.
Security featured prominently in his tour. Trump described the building as “droneproof” and “bulletproof,” and said it will include over 100 drones for defense purposes.
“See the thickness and size of that steel? You can land anything on that roof but it will be all drones,” Trump said.
“This is the safest place in Washington,” he said. “You can just sit here and just let people do whatever they want.”
Trump then turned to the interior. He previewed “magnificent columns” in the Corinthian design, which he called the “creme de la creme.”
He said the marble is “really magnificent” and comes from a very special vein guarded closely by its owner.
“He liked me and also he was so honored to be doing it for the country and the White House,” Trump said of the owner.
“Envision chandeliers all over the ceiling, envision marble floors, this is going to be the most beautiful room,” he said, calling the ballroom “a piece of art.”
The project carries a $600 million price tag, and Trump pointed to the multiple private donors behind it. “You got it free of charge, thank you very much,” he said.
He recalled visiting the Great Hall of China and said his ballroom would be even grander. “Top-of-the-line, great architects,” he said. “This has been a dream for 150 years.”
Trump said the work comes naturally to him as a builder. “I like it, it’s good. For me it’s relaxing,” he said. “I like beautiful things.”
He linked the construction to his goals for Washington. The day before the election, he highlighted his improvements to monuments and parks at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool.
“This is the capital of our country, we have to make it beautiful and we have to make it safe,” he said.
Trump ended the session by offering the press more to see. “Bring the cameras over, let me show you the helipad,” he said.
