Trump Pitches $5,000 ‘Dividend’ as GOP Seeks Midterm Support
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (Sep 9) that every American adult could receive a US$5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans maintain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, making the proposal a central appeal to voters ahead of the polls.
Trump announced the idea during the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention, although questions immediately remained over how the payments would be funded, administered and whether such a scheme would be legally possible. With around 270 million adults in the United States, the proposal could cost approximately US$1.35 trillion.
In his prime-time speech, Trump claimed his administration had delivered “the greatest two years in the history of the presidency,” placing himself firmly at the centre of the Republican campaign despite declining approval ratings.
It remains uncertain whether the president’s campaign-style message will win over crucial swing voters. Opinion polls indicate that some of these voters have moved away from Republicans as concerns grow over living costs and the continuing war with Iran.
“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 said.
“Vote Republicans and we will leave the world in our dust for generations to come.”
The two-day gathering in Dallas is designed to showcase the Republican strategy ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Trump is also scheduled to deliver the closing address on Thursday, following a keynote speech by Vice President JD Vance.
The event highlights how closely Republican electoral prospects remain tied to Trump. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters jokingly referred to the gathering as “Trumpapalooza,” comparing its heavy focus on the president to the popular Lollapalooza music festival.
The strategy carries risks for Republicans as Trump’s approval ratings have fallen to historic lows. The party is betting that the president can still mobilise the voters who helped return him to the White House two years ago.
Trump said he plans to visit several key battleground states and congressional districts during the eight weeks leading up to Election Day.
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” Trump told supporters, a remark that could appeal strongly to his MAGA base but also give Democratic strategists an opportunity to portray the election as a referendum on the president.
The convention has created a difficult situation for Republican candidates in competitive races. Some lawmakers may benefit from distancing themselves from Trump to attract moderate voters, while still needing the support of his loyal base.
Several Republicans facing tough contests skipped the event, including Representative Tom Barrett of Michigan, Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, all of whom face strong Democratic opponents this autumn.
Others chose to attend. According to the Republican National Committee schedule, at least 16 candidates involved in competitive House and Senate races were due to speak at the convention.
Among Wednesday’s speakers were Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a close Trump ally competing against Democratic lawmaker James Talarico in a difficult Senate race, and Ohio Senator Jon Husted, who is facing former Senator Sherrod Brown.
Trump claimed the 21,000-seat arena was “packed” during his speech, although large sections of the upper seating area remained empty.
While Republican leaders promoted the convention as an opportunity to highlight Trump administration policies, many early speakers concentrated instead on attacking Democrats over issues including transgender women in sports and border security.
By comparison, inflation and the war in Iran — two issues frequently identified by voters as major concerns — received considerably less attention.
Alabama state Representative Ernie Yarbrough, who attended the convention, said Trump needed to provide voters with greater clarity about the duration and objectives of the conflict in Iran.
“People want to feel like we’re not getting stuck in an endless cycle,” he said.
Trump defended the US decision to strike Tehran, arguing that military action was necessary to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
He also predicted that oil prices would fall “as soon as we win the war with Iran” and said he expected the conflict to end soon.
However, the war has shown few signs of ending more than six months after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Analysts have also questioned whether Iran’s nuclear programme has been eliminated, while Tehran continues to deny that it is seeking to develop a nuclear weapon.
Before Trump appeared on stage, several speakers repeatedly labelled Democrats “socialists” and “communists,” continuing one of the president’s preferred lines of attack following several Democratic primary victories by democratic-socialist candidates.
“Democrats are dangerous, radical and weird,” South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said. Scott chairs the Republican campaign organisation responsible for Senate races.
Wednesday’s programme also included a surprise pre-recorded appearance by Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. He introduced Republican Senator Dave McCormick as his “great friend” and said he would work with Trump to defend Pennsylvania’s steel industry.
Fetterman’s participation highlighted the ideological tensions within the Democratic Party ahead of the midterms. He has increasingly clashed with members of the party’s left wing, although he has rejected speculation that he could leave the Democratic Party.
The stakes are high for both parties as the November election approaches.
Republicans risk losing control of at least one chamber of Congress, while public polling suggests Democratic voters are currently more motivated to participate. Trump’s approval ratings have also remained deeply negative.
The convention also competed for television audiences with the opening of the NFL season, whose first night featured a Super Bowl rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
Nevertheless, after months of negative headlines surrounding inflation and the Iran war, Republican leaders view the gathering as an important opportunity to promote candidates, contrast their agenda with Democrats and energise a Republican electorate that has shown less enthusiasm for voting than Democrats, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
