President Donald Trump emerged from the White House private residence on Tuesday for the first time after a punishing Election Night for Republicans.
The president invited the press to view his ongoing construction efforts and spoke at length about his progress his personal vanity projects at the White House and in Washington, DC.
'This is a special structure, it will be the most beautiful ballroom in the entire world,' he said.
The president displayed a large piece of steel behind him, where workers had signed it as it was going to be the last steel beam used in construction.
Trump also signed the beam, placing his personal stamp on the project as a group of White House staffers and workers applauded.
Just as the president focused on his legacy of improving Washington, DC monuments and parks the day before the election at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting, he spent the day after the elections highlighting his ongoing construction projects.
'This is the capital of our country, we have to make it beautiful and we have to make it safe,' he said.
Trump said he found the projects personally rewarding as he focused on making the White House more beautiful.
President Donald Trump emerged from the White House after a blistering Election Night for Republicans
President Donald Trump speaks at the construction site of the East Wing ballroom at the White House
'I like it, it's good, for me it's relaxing,' he said. 'I like beautiful things.'
Trump said he 'totally redid' the White House plaster and facade of the building and fixed many of the windows.
He gave reporters a tour of the structure, commenting on the process as workers raised the last beam of steel into the ceiling.
'Envision chandeliers all over the ceiling, envision marble floors, this is going to be the most beautiful room,' he said, describing it as 'a piece of art.'
'See the thickness and size of that steel? You can land anything on that roof but it will be all drones,' Trump told reporters.
He also described the new building as 'drone-proof' and 'bulletproof.'
'This is the safest place in Washington,' he said. 'You can just sit here and just let people do whatever they want.'
Trump said it would allow up to 2,500 guests and that it would include infrastructure underneath the White House for five floors.
'This has been a dream for 150 years,' he said.
He said the building would include over 100 drones for defense purposes.
The president mused about his legacy as a builder, recalling that it was a part of who he was.
The marble he said was 'really magnificent' and cut from a very special vein of marble that was jealously protected by the owner.
'He liked me and also he was so honored to be doing it for the country and the White House,' he said.
Trump said that the kitchen was underneath the ballroom, not on top on the side.
'It's going to be top of the line,' he said.
'You got it free of charge, thank you very much,' he said, referring to the multiple private donors to the project.
Trump recalled spending time in the 'Great Hall of China during a visit and said his project would be even grander.
'Top of the line, great architects,' he said.
After the event, the president spoke about the election results with reporters.
Trump said that it was 'largely true' that the Iran war was responsible for Republican losses in the midterms, but defended his decision to go to war.
'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.'
He also defended his election speech in front of the reflecting pool.
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