At a White House Hispanic Heritage Month reception, President Trump quipped that "only a Hispanic could survive" a fall from the unfinished White House ballroom, a remark that drew applause. He invited guests to tour the construction site and described the project as part of a larger complex that includes a drone port. Trump's nearly hourlong speech often strayed from the event's theme; he later urged attendees to back his record ahead of the midterms. Polling shows his approval among Hispanic voters has declined to 26 percent.
Trump Quips 'Only a Hispanic Could Survive' White House Ballroom Fall at Hispanic Heritage Reception
Photo Credit: Eric Lee/Stringer / Getty Images
President Donald Trump drew applause at a White House reception for Hispanic Heritage Month after joking that "only a Hispanic could survive" a fall from the site of the unfinished ballroom he is renovating, and saying he was "not overly worried" about attendees' safety.
Speaking in the East Room, Trump invited guests to tour the still-under-construction ballroom, which he described as part of a larger renovation that includes what he termed a military complex topped by a drone port. He cautioned visitors about the hazard before delivering the quip:
"Don't fall over the edge, because it's a long way down. And only a Hispanic could survive that fall. So, I'm not overly worried."
Wednesday's gathering was the first in-person Hispanic Heritage Month event of Trump's second administration; the White House did not hold an in-person celebration last year, though the president issued a proclamation recognizing the observance.
Trump's remarks stretched to nearly an hour and often drifted from the evening's Hispanic-focused theme. He spent considerable time discussing the ballroom renovation—saying the work "relaxes" him—before touching on foreign policy, midterm dynamics and other topics. At roughly the 22-minute mark he returned to the occasion, saying, "But I'm thrilled to have you at the White House celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month," and acknowledging he had mentioned it later than expected.
The reception came as polling indicates Republicans face challenges with Hispanic voters. A recent New York Times/Siena poll found Trump's approval among Hispanic respondents at 26 percent.
Trump also pushed back against Republican critics of his immigration enforcement, calling it "the hardest job I've had" and acknowledging the difficulty of satisfying competing demands. He closed by urging attendees to promote his administration's record and to turn out for the midterms, saying, "It's a vote for good things." The comment about who could survive the fall drew attention and applause during the event.
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