US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has delivered his first public remarks since the midterm results which dealt a major blow to his administration.

Speaking from the construction site of the White House ballroom, Trump initially did not reflect on the significant election results.

“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 told reporters.

“When I was in China, we went to the Great Hall and it’s incredible. But this is actually larger. This is larger, and it will be the most magnificent when you see what we’re doing between the marble and the bronze and all the different things that we’re doing.” 

Trump went on to talk at length about the six-hundred-million-dollar (€500.34 million) ballroom, and even signed his name on one of the beams at the construction site.  

President Trump signs the construction at the ballroom site but hasn't mentioned the midterms. https://t.co/GcKsBAcQ2y

— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 4, 2026

He eventually commented on the election results, saying twice, “If I were on the ballot, we would have won.” 

Trump noted the thousands of people present at Republican rallies and that “there was such love at those rallies, it was incredible”.

“We weren’t able to transfer the love to candidates”, he added.

Trump acknowledged that the Iran war was the key factor in his party’s sweeping midterm election losses, after Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans to be “honest” about the unpopular conflict’s impact.

Asked if he agreed with Vance’s remark that the Iran was “the reason we lost,” Trump  said: “I think it’s largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short term.”

Trump signs a hard hat as he talks with workers at the construction site. alamy alamy

“But at the same time, if I had it to do again, I’d have to do it again. Because long term, it’s the only answer. You can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he added.

Asked about prospective impeachment a day after his party suffered a sweeping midterm election loss, Trump said: “I think it would destroy the Democratic Party if they did that,” insisting there was “no reason” for him to be impeached.

Trump also ruled out firing defence secretary Pete Hegseth despite the election losses which he blamed on the war against Iran.

“No, I think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said when asked if he was considering replacing Hegseth, a staunch proponent of military action against the Islamic republic.

With additional reporting by AFP