Donald Trump has promised a $5,000 “Trump dividend” for every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the November midterms.
The proposed payments could cost roughly $1.35 trillion, but their funding and legal viability remain unclear.
Trump is urging Republicans to make the election a referendum on his presidency as concerns over living costs, Iran and his approval ratings weigh on the party.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he would give every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, putting a striking cash incentive at the centre of his party’s campaign. Trump made the proposal at the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention. With about 270 million US adults, the proposal could cost roughly $1.35 trillion.
During his primetime address, Trump declared that he had completed “the greatest two years in the history of the presidency”, placing himself firmly at the centre of the November 3 elections despite his falling approval ratings. He urged voters to keep Republicans in power, warning: “We hand America’s future to the radical left Democrats, and our nation will spend the next decade just getting back on its feet.”
Trump Makes Midterms A Referendum On His Presidency
Trump's speech highlighted how closely Republican electoral fortunes remain tied to the president. He vowed to visit battleground states and districts repeatedly during the eight weeks leading up to Election Day and told supporters, “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.”
Republicans in competitive races face a particularly difficult calculation: distancing themselves from Trump could help them appeal to broader electorates, but doing so risks alienating his most committed supporters. Several prominent Republicans skipped the convention, including Representative Tom Barrett of Michigan, Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, all of whom face strong Democratic challengers this fall.
At least 16 candidates in competitive House and Senate races were scheduled to speak, according to the RNC schedule. Among Wednesday’s speakers were Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a close Trump ally facing Democratic lawmaker James Talarico in a Senate race, and Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is up against former Senator Sherrod Brown.
Iran War, Cost Of Living Get Less Attention
While Republican officials had described the convention as a platform to promote Trump’s policies, early speakers largely focused on attacking Democrats as “socialists” and “communists” over issues including transgender women in sports and border security.
Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, chairman of the party’s Senate campaign arm, called Democrats “dangerous, radical and weird.”
The Iran war and cost of living, however, received comparatively less attention despite being major voter concerns.
Trump defended the US attack on Tehran, saying it was intended to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. He also promised oil prices would fall “as soon as we win the war with Iran”, which he said would happen soon.
The convention also featured a surprise pre-recorded video from Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who called Republican Senator Dave McCormick his “great friend” and said he would work with Trump to protect Pennsylvania’s steel industry.
With less than two months until the election, Republicans face the possibility of losing control of at least one chamber of Congress. Public polling shows Democrats more motivated to vote, while Trump’s approval ratings remain deeply underwater, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
