Donald Trump hosted a jungle-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago, where hundreds of guests arrived in sequined costumes, feathered headdresses and elaborate animal-inspired outfits.
The Saturday night gathering at the president’s Florida resort featured partygoers dressed as exotic birds, reptiles, cheetahs, zebras and lions. One woman wore a pale pink corset with matching iridescent wings as part of a fairy costume.
Guests dined on crab and caviar as drinks were served in the green-lit ballroom, with the jungle theme reflected in elaborate make-up, wings and headpieces.
Trump told the crowd that his busy schedule had left him little time to prepare a costume. “I’ve spent nine hours getting ready,” he joked. “I had ten minutes, so I came as Donald Trump tonight! Hello everybody.”
Speaker Mike Johnson attended the Mar-a-Lago Halloween party, while Vice-President JD Vance chose to spend Halloween with his children in Washington DC.
The event came three days before the US midterm elections, with more than 52 million Americans already having cast their ballots.
Polling cited in the source material indicates a potential Democratic victory in the Senate, House and governor’s races, including contests in states that have traditionally been Republican strongholds.
Trump has also changed plans to campaign in Iowa, where he is scheduled to speak at 4pm, after an earlier decision by the Republican National Committee to cancel his appearance.
The president is also due to appear in Kansas. Both states are facing more competitive races than initially expected, despite being viewed as relatively safe for conservative candidates.
In Iowa’s governor’s race, Democrat Rob Sand is ahead of Republican candidate Zach Lahn in polling. Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who has represented an eastern Iowa seat since 2021, is running for the Senate.
Hinson faces Josh Turek, a state lawmaker who secured his party’s nomination after a difficult primary campaign. Former president Barack Obama is among Turek’s biggest backers, while three of Iowa’s four House races are rated as toss-ups by the non-partisan Cook Political Report.
