Donald Trump pledged to pay every adult citizen in the US $5,000 if Republicans secure majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections, during a lengthy speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
The former president’s proposal, delivered during a nearly two-hour address, would reportedly cost the US treasury over $1tn. It immediately prompted ethical concerns but also highlighted what analysts suggest is the extent of Republican anxieties regarding their prospects in the pivotal November elections.
"If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000," Mr Trump informed a vocal audience. During his remarks, he urged voters to "pretend that I’m on the ballot", despite his personal approval ratings hovering at approximately 38%, which has led many Republican candidates in competitive races to distance themselves from the event.
Surrounded by supporters brandishing American flag placards, Mr Trump asserted, without providing evidence, that his second term had been "the most successful two years, financially and every other way, in the history of the presidency". However, a significant portion of his speech was dedicated to cautionary narratives about potential outcomes should Democrats gain control of either the House or Senate for the remainder of his presidency.
"There is a crazy little sick cloud over our country," Mr Trump stated. "We will defeat communism in America."
The decision by Mr Trump and the Republican party to host a midterm convention – the first ever undertaken by the GOP – represents a strategic gambit to invigorate the party, which faces projections of losing control of the House. Nonetheless, Mr Trump’s continued unpopularity among a segment of the American electorate meant that numerous Republican candidates in swing districts opted to skip the two-day gathering entirely.
Despite this apparent avoidance by some candidates, Mr Trump's speech underscored his belief that he remains a decisive factor for the November vote. Acknowledging the historical trend of the party holding the White House often struggling in midterm elections, Mr Trump declared: "We’ve got to change that, because we have something going that’s so good."
He continued with stark warnings regarding the potential consequences of Republican losses, stating: "If we lose, you’re going to lose your border, you’re going to lose your tax cuts, you’re going to lose your safety and security, you’re going to lose your wealth. Our country is going through hell – we will be going through hell, just like we did, just two years ago."
The lead-up to the midterm convention was reportedly marked by a degree of disorganisation. Mr Trump was initially slated to speak on the second night, before the Republican National Committee (RNC) announced a revised schedule placing his keynote address on Wednesday, with closing remarks scheduled for Thursday after Vice-President JD Vance's speech.
Mr Trump also referenced the ongoing conflict in Iran multiple times, cautioning Tehran "not to get cute" or face the prospect of the US having to "hit them very hard". He did, however, appear to acknowledge the economic strain resulting from surging oil prices. Mr Trump recounted a theatrical re-enactment of how he informed his economic advisors that the US needed to initiate the conflict, claiming Iran was "two, maybe three weeks away from having a nuclear weapon". He described telling them, "I hate to do this to you," noting the economy had been performing well at the time.
Observations from the convention centre suggested a muted level of enthusiasm among attendees. Compared to the four-day traditional convention held in Milwaukee two years prior, the initial day in Dallas felt subdued. Reports noted an absence of long queues for entry, food, or restrooms, with considerable swathes of empty seats evident throughout Mr Trump’s address. This contradicted Mr Trump’s assertion, made during his speech, that the arena was full. "Not only is this packed but you have an equal number of people standing outside," he declared, a claim not corroborated by Guardian reporters present.
The RNC had announced in mid-August that members of the public could apply for tickets, implying a lottery system for a select few. Yet, by Wednesday, with the convention already underway, applications submitted via an RNC sign-up page were reportedly being granted instantaneously.
Despite these observations of diminished public engagement, Mr Trump himself appeared energised in his call to action on the opening night. He interspersed his remarks with jokes, including one aimed at Ken Paxton, his preferred candidate for Senate in Texas, who previously secured a primary victory against incumbent John Cornyn earlier this year.
"He may not dress right. He may not talk exactly perfectly, and he may not be the best-looking guy I’ve ever seen," Mr Trump remarked about Paxton. "But you know what he is? He’s the greatest attorney general in America."
Mr Trump dedicated several minutes to criticising Democrats, including Mr Paxton’s opponent, James Talarico, whom Mr Trump mocked as a "weird looking dude". He also targeted former Republican governor Roy Cooper in North Carolina, now running for Senate, and Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan.
In response, Ken Martin, the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), issued a statement accusing Republicans of staging a "bizarre dog-and-pony show" designed to appease the president’s "fragile ego." Mr Martin added: "Tonight only confirmed that the president is a lame duck failure who is dragging his party toward defeat."
The Republicans’ unconventional midterm convention features 12 hours of programming spread across two nights. Wednesday’s speaker lineup prominently featured Trump loyalists and candidates, though a strong emphasis on showmanship remained central to the agenda.
Byron Donalds, a rising figure within the party and candidate for governor of Florida, along with Mehmet Oz and Scott Bessent, identified as two of Mr Trump’s cabinet secretaries, were among those who took to the stage. However, Mr Trump, a known enthusiast of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), chose to be introduced by two professional fighters: middleweight Bo Nickal and lightweight Justin "The Highlight" Gaethje.
While most speakers were allotted only five minutes for their addresses, Mr Nickal and Mr Gaethje, both of whom participated in the UFC 250 event held on the White House Lawn in June, were granted ten minutes.
Mr Gaethje informed the audience that he earned his "Highlight" moniker after a swift knockout victory in 2016, subsequently drawing a parallel between his career and Mr Trump, aged 80.
"One mistake I’ve made in my career was becoming complacent while I was on a winning streak and forgetting how unforgiving my sport would be," Mr Gaethje stated. "If we are not just as passionate about voting and winning in these midterms as we were in the last presidential election, then we risk being knocked out and losing all the momentum we have been fighting for."
Earlier, Republicans had indicated that the convention’s primary focus would be on "lowering costs, securing our border, making our communities safer, and putting American workers and families first." However, speaker after speaker instead launched criticisms at Democrats concerning alleged support for transgender rights, suggesting a strategic pivot by the Republican party to foreground culture war issues as the November elections draw nearer.
Mr Trump is scheduled to speak again on Thursday, though he indicated his subsequent address would be considerably shorter. "I gave you a lot of material," he concluded his Wednesday remarks, before reiterating his plea to voters: "please pretend that I’m running."
