In short
- Donald Trump offered to pay every adult US citizen $5,000 (£3,700) if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in November, speaking at the party’s first midterms convention in Dallas.
- With nearly 270 million American adults, a $5,000 payment to each would cost the US government about $1.3 trillion.
- A Financial Times / Focaldata poll released on Sunday put Trump’s approval rating among registered voters at 33%, described as a new low.
- Senator Susan Collins of Maine and other Republicans running in competitive races did not attend the two-day Dallas convention.
- Trump said relief from high fuel prices would “take a little bit longer than the midterms” and cited short-term economic pain caused by the war in Iran.
Donald Trump told the Republican Party’s first midterms convention in Dallas that he would pay every adult US citizen $5,000 (£3,700) if Republicans keep both chambers of Congress in November. No official party business was conducted at the two-day event, which was staged as a rally to boost turnout.
What did Trump promise in his keynote speech?
Speaking on Wednesday, the opening night of the two-day gathering, the US president said the money would have to be spent inside the United States. He gave no details on how the plan would be funded, where the money would come from or how spending would be monitored.
Democrats labelled the pledge an “empty promise”, and others questioned whether such a payment would be legal. With nearly 270 million American adults in the country, a $5,000 payout to each would cost the federal government about $1.3 trillion. The proposal drew loud applause in the arena.
Who attended the Dallas convention?
The arena was filled with supporters in red MAGA clothing from Trump’s previous presidential campaigns. The Republican establishment was largely absent: Senator Susan Collins of Maine and other Republicans running in competitive races stayed away, and the core audience in the hall and on television was made up of Trump loyalists rather than the moderates and swing voters the party needs in November.
What did Trump say about fuel prices and the war in Iran?
Before leaving for Dallas, Trump said Americans might wait longer for relief from high fuel prices. “I think it’s going to take a little bit longer than the midterms,” he said, repeating the message in his speech and arguing that short-term economic pain caused by the war in Iran was worth it to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The remarks came during wider disruption in the Middle East, where Houthi forces have seized the Red Sea port of Mokha, 75km from the Bab al-Mandab strait.
Polls have consistently shown the cost of living is a top issue for Americans. A Financial Times / Focaldata poll released on Sunday put Trump’s approval rating among registered voters at 33%, a new low.
Who could succeed Trump in 2028?
Trump warned the crowd that the sitting president’s party tends to lose midterms, then told them: “I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.” In interviews with the BBC, convention attendees looked ahead to the 2028 presidential election and debated who should succeed him, with Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned frequently.
Frequently asked questions
What did Donald Trump promise at the Republican midterms convention in Dallas?
He said he would pay every adult US citizen $5,000 (£3,700) if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in November, with the money to be spent inside the United States. He gave no details on funding, and Democrats called it an “empty promise”.
How much would a $5,000 payment to every US adult cost?
With nearly 270 million American adults, the pledge would cost the US government about $1.3 trillion, according to the figures cited in coverage of the convention.
What did Trump say about fuel prices and the war in Iran?
Trump said relief from high fuel prices would “take a little bit longer than the midterms” and argued that short-term economic pain caused by the war in Iran was worth it to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons.
Who is seen as a possible successor to Trump in 2028?
Convention attendees interviewed by the BBC frequently mentioned Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as contenders, though Trump said he remains in charge of the party.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. Ford A1363 NLGRF photo contact sheet (1974-10-10)(Gerald Ford Library) — David Hume Kennerly / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)