共和党人尚未来得及消化中期选举惨败的冲击，特朗普总统便已退回到一个熟悉的舒适区：华盛顿特区的建设项目。
Republicans barely had time to absorb their sweeping midterm losses before President Trump returned to a familiar comfort zone: D.C. construction projects. Why it matters:
为何重要：选民刚刚对政府发出了压倒性的谴责，要求政客们关注生活成本，但总统依然执着于按自己的形象重塑国家首都。
Voters just delivered an overwhelming rebuke of the administration, demanding that politicians focus on the cost of living, yet the president remains fixed on remaking the nation's capital in his image.
新闻看点：特朗普周三在白宫接待记者，举行了一场此前未在日程上的活动，向他们通报东翼舞厅的施工情况，这是他大选以来首次对白宫记者团发表讲话。
Driving the news: Trump hosted reporters at the White House on Wednesday for a previously unscheduled event to update them on the East Wing ballroom's construction, marking his first remarks to the White House press pool since the election.
- 他将大部分讲话时间用在讨论华盛顿特区周边规划中的建筑变更上，包括拟建的凯旋门、国家美国英雄花园，以及一项可能会取消热门跑步和骑行路径的公共高尔夫球场扩建计划。
• He spent the majority of his remarks discussing planned architectural changes around D.C., including a proposed Triumphal Arch, the National Garden of American Heroes and a planned expansion of a publicly owned golf course that would likely eliminate popular running and biking paths. His remarks came
此番讲话是在周一的一场选前公开露面之后发表的，当时他赞扬了倒影池新安装的管道，以及一项从林肯纪念堂通往波托马克河的拟建林荫大道。
after a pre-election appearance Monday, during which he praised the new pipes installed at the Reflecting Pool and a proposed promenade from the Lincoln Memorial to the Potomac River. What they're saying:
各方观点：针对外界有时批评他在建设项目上花费精力，特朗普表示，他是“因为白宫是美国的终极象征，它必须完美无瑕才这么做。”
Trump addressed criticism he sometimes receives for working on his construction projects, saying he was "doing it because the White House is the ultimate symbol of America, and it's got to be pristine."
- “它必须完美。看看现在的样子，就是这样。你们根本不知道我们得干多少活。”
• "It's got to be perfect. And if you take a look at it, that's what it is right now. You have no idea how much work we had to do."
- 他还指出，自己在白宫事务上花费“极少时间”，但之所以做这些，是因为“很放松……我热爱建筑。”
• He also noted that he spends "very little time" working on the White House, but said he does it because "it's relaxing …I love construction."
快速回顾：据美联社报道，民主党在周二的中期选举中表现超出预期，先在当晚翻转了参议院，几小时后又翻转了众议院。
Catch up quick: Democrats outperformed expectations in Tuesday's midterms, flipping the Senate before the night was over and then the House a few hours later, according to the AP.
- 民主党已完全控制至少五个此前分裂的州政府，同时终结了其他几个州的共和党“三权独揽”局面。
• Democrats have gained complete control of at least five previously divided state governments while ending Republican trifectas in several other states.
- 在如红宝石般炽热的德克萨斯州，这只潜在收购的白鲸——民主党人夺回了州长官邸、一个参议院席位，并且现在控制了州众议院。
• In ruby-red Texas, the white whale of potential pickups, Democrats flipped the governor's mansion, a Senate seat and now control the state House. Zoom in:
聚焦：“特朗普总统致力于恢复我们国家的珍贵地标，这值得庆祝，而且并未分散他降低成本、加强经济、改善美国家庭生活的工作，”白宫发言人在给《Axios》的电子邮件声明中说。
"President Trump's commitment to restoring our Nation's treasured landmarks should be celebrated and does not distract from his work to lower costs, strengthen our economy, and improve the lives of American families," a White House spokesperson told Axios in an emailed statement.
- “在如他所承诺的那样，使我们的国家首都再次安全、美丽的同时，特朗普总统仍专注于降低成本、抑制通胀、创造高薪工作、将制造业重新迁回本土、释放美国能源主导优势、确保新投资、保障边境安全、将危险的非法犯罪分子驱逐出我们的社区，并执行严厉的治安政策。”
• "While making our Nation's capital safe and beautiful again as he promised to do, President Trump remains focused on lowering costs, driving down inflation, creating good-paying jobs, reshoring our manufacturing industry, unleashing American energy dominance, securing new investment, securing our borders, deporting dangerous illegal criminals from our communities, and enforcing tough-on-crime policies."
特朗普在周三的演讲中还简要谈及了他的移民政策以及在华盛顿特区周边降低犯罪的努力。
Trump also briefly discussed his immigration policies and efforts to lower crime around D.C. during his Wednesday speech.
- 随后他接受记者提问，在回答中重申，如果他在票箱上，共和党本会获胜。
• He later took questions from reporters, during which he reiterated that Republicans would have won had he been on the ballot.