As the countdown to tomorrow’s midterm elections winds down, President Donald Trump seems to have his eyes on anything but the ballot box. Since returning to the presidency, Trump, 80, has made the White House makeover his personal mission. Therefore, his latest midterm rally turned into a masterclass on construction, complete with boasts about his building skills. President Donald Trump faces backlash over empty seats at his campaign rally after bragging that people were waiting to see him. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) Now, as voters head to the polls tomorrow, his rallies have raised questions about whether his priorities match the concerns driving voters to the ballot box. The Oval Office was redesigned with gaudy, gold embellishments, which later led former President Barack Obama to compare Trump’s decorating preferences to those of the Cheesecake Factory. ‘He Has to Hide Everything’: Trump’s Entrance Exposed as an Aide Scrambles to Block Camera as White House Tarp Shield Fails‘Oh No!’: Trump Declares War Over ‘Deplorable’ White House Destruction — And Then Drops Shocking Photo Evidence Before Unloading on a Familiar Target In addition, the Rose Garden was paved over and replaced with a Mar-a-Lago-style patio seating area. The White House’s East Wing was also demolished to make way for a $600 million ballroom. But he’s not even done. Adding flagpoles on the North and South Lawns in 2025 became one of Trump’s favorite changes to the White House complex. Over a year later, he still boasts about those poles. Trump delivered remarks at a midterm campaign rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Nov. 1. After speaking for nearly an hour, the MAGA chief began ranting about his White House renovations. “It’s now pristine. It’s in beautiful shape. And you look at it, and you see those pictures. I even put flagpoles up. Never had a flagpole,” Trump bragged. He then mumbled, “I have a lot of flagpoles. I have them all over my place in Los Angeles. I have [them] on the ocean. Magnificent place. But I have a guy. It’s life. I call him Flagpole Jim.” Trump became even more sidetracked during his speech, drawing chuckles from supporters during his unscripted side story. He mentioned the word “flagpole” at least nine more times in under two minutes. “There are good flagpoles, and there are bad flagpoles. There are ugly flagpoles,” Trump told the crowd inside the Five Flags Center. He then painted a picture for his supporters. “You ever see the ones that go up dead straight, and they’re flat on the top? That’s called a piece of steel. That’s not a flagpole,” Trump claimed. Clips of his flagpole tangent hit social media, where critics pounced on the chance to taunt the Republican Party leader and expressed confusion at his bizarre outburst. “WTF is this lunatic babbling about now?” one account on X wondered in response to Trump’s flagpole digression in Iowa. A similarly baffled commenter pleaded, “Can anyone understand [what the h—] he’s trying to say?? Or even the subject?? I mean, it’s just pure nonsense.”  People on the Threads platform shared similar sentiments, writing, “Just make it stop!!!” But his comment about LA caused even more confusion. “Did he mean his home in Florida? He doesn’t have a home in Los Angeles,” another said. “Nothing about this snippet makes any sense, especially if Trump doesn’t even own a home in Los Angeles.” Trump cashed out in 2019, selling his Beverly Hills mansion for $13.5 million, leaving Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles as its only remaining property in Los Angeles County. Some critics argue his White House changes serve his personal interests more than the public’s. He had the flagpoles installed in June 2025 and proudly called them “beautiful.” “I love construction,” said the once-celebrated New York real estate developer. “I know it better than anybody.” Before entering politics, Trump built a personal brand centered around his experience as a global real estate mogul. His organization still runs several golf courses and resorts worldwide. The New York City native leaned on his resort-and-casino background, seeking to give the White House grounds and other popular D.C. landmarks a facelift in his image. Similar to his businesses that filed for bankruptcy, Trump’s Washington beautification initiative has mostly failed embarrassingly, so far. The proposed White House ballroom remains unfinished as legal challenges play out in federal court. Trump’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center after himself has also run into courtroom battles. Legal challenges have likewise blocked Trump’s proposed overhaul of D.C.’s East Potomac Golf Links. Meanwhile, Trump plans to close out his pre-Election Day message with a speech in front of the newly renovated and refilled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. After months of delays, peeling paint, algae problems and a price tag that climbed to more than $16 million, Trump apparently believes the pool is finally ready to make a splash — politically, at least. Trump: "I have a lot of flagpoles. I have them all over my place in Los Angeles. On the ocean, magnificent place. I call him Flagpole Jim. His whole life, that's all he does." pic.twitter.com/u5XmHixn5e— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 1, 2026 Trump, Who Claims He Knows Construction ‘Better Than Anybody,’ Turns Final Midterm Rally Into a Flagpole Masterclass ...read more read less