Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would give every adult American $5,000 as a “Trump dividend” if Republicans win control of Congress in the November midterm elections.This is a big effort to get people to support his party.
He made this speech at the first-ever Republican Party midterm convention.
It wasn’t clear how the money would be given out or if it would be allowed by law.With about 270 million adults in the U.S., this plan would cost around $1.35 trillion.
In a long speech that lasted almost two hours, Trump said he had the best two years in presidential history.
He put himself right in the middle of the election, even though he is not as popular as he used to be.
It’s not clear if his speech will work with the voters who are not sure about his party, especially because people are worried about the cost of living and the war in Iran.
He said, “We hand America’s future to the radical left Democrats, and our nation will spend the next decade just getting back on its feet.
Vote Republicans and we will leave the world in our dust for generations to come.”
The two-day event in Dallas, where Trump will also speak on Thursday after Vice President JD Vance’s speech, shows how much Republicans depend on Trump.
It’s also a way to show their plans for the upcoming November 3 midterms.
The event was so focused on Trump that the Republican National Committee chairman called it “Trumpapalooza,” like the Lollapalooza music festival.
Putting all the focus on Trump is a big gamble.
He needs to bring back the voters who helped him win two years ago, even though his approval ratings are very low.He promised to visit key states and districts in the eight weeks before the election.
He said, “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” a line that may have pleased Democratic campaign planners as much as MAGA supporters.
This convention is a tough spot for Republicans who are facing big elections.
They may need to move away from Trump to get more support, but they can’t lose his biggest fans.
Some Republicans, like Representative Tom Barrett, Senator Dan Sullivan, and Senator Susan Collins, didn’t attend the convention because they are up against strong Democratic opponents.
Others did go.
At least 16 candidates in tight races were scheduled to speak.Among them were Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a close Trump supporter, and Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is running against former Senator Sherrod Brown.
Even though Trump said the big arena was “packed,” the upper parts were mostly empty during his speech.
DEMOCRATS PORTRAYED AS ‘SOCIALISTS’ AND ‘COMMUNISTS’
At the convention, most speakers focused on criticizing Democrats, especially on issues like transgender women in sports and border security.
These are topics that base voters care about.
Issues like the war in Iran and the cost of living, which voters say are the most important, got less attention.
Alabama state Representative Ernie Yarbrough, who was at the convention, said Trump needs to explain how long the Iran war will last and what the goal is.
He said, “People want to feel like we’re not getting stuck in an endless cycle.”
Trump defended his decision to attack Iran, saying he did it to stop them from getting a nuclear weapon.
He also promised that oil prices will drop “as soon as we win the war with Iran,” which he said will happen soon.
But the war hasn’t ended more than six months after the U.S.
and Israel attacked Iran.Analysts say Iran’s nuclear program hasn’t been stopped, and Iran denies trying to get a nuclear weapon.
Before Trump’s speech, a number of speakers called Democrats “socialists” and “communists,” using one of Trump’s favorite attacks.
Senator Tim Scott, the head of the Senate campaign arm, called Democrats “dangerous, radical, and weird.”
The convention also had a surprise taped video from Democratic Senator John Fetterman.
He introduced his fellow senator from Pennsylvania, Republican Dave McCormick, as his “great friend” and said he would work with Trump to help the steel industry in Pennsylvania.
Fetterman’s appearance was likely to highlight the big differences within the Democratic Party before the midterms.
Fetterman has been fighting with other left-wing Democrats and has denied reports that he might leave the party.
The stakes are high for both parties.
With less than two months until the election, Republicans may lose control of at least one part of Congress.Polls show more Democrats are motivated to vote, and Trump’s approval ratings are very low.
The event had competition from the start of the NFL season, with the opening night featuring a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
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