Donald Trump pledged to pay every adult citizen in the US $5,000 if Republicans retain the House and Senate in the midterm elections, during a marathon speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas in which the president assailed Democrats as “radical” and defended his unpopular war in Iran. The outlandish proposal, which would cost over $1tn, immediately raised ethical concerns. But it laid bare the extent of the Republicans’ concern about their prospects in the pivotal November elections.
Surrounded by supporters waving American flag placards, Trump claimed, without evidence, that his second term had been “the most successful two years, financially and every other way, in the history of the presidency”, but devoted much of his speech to fearmongering about what would happen should Democrats win the House or the Senate for the final two years of his presidency. Yet, Trump’s deep unpopularity among Americans – his approval rating is hovering at about 38% – meant many Republican candidates running in competitive races skipped the two-day confab entirely. Even so, Trump’s speech made it clear he thinks he will be the deciding factor in November.
Noting that the party which holds the White House traditionally struggles in the midterm elections, Trump said: “We’ve got to change that, because we have something going that’s so good. Our country is going through hell – we will be going through hell, just like we did, just two years ago,” he said. The buildup to the midterm convention had somewhat of a chaotic air.
Trump was initially scheduled to speak on the second night, before the Republican National Committee announced that he would deliver the keynote on Wednesday, and instead give closing remarks on Thursday after his vice-president JD Vance speaks. Trump made several references to the war in Iran, claiming Tehran was “two, maybe three weeks away from having a nuclear weapon”. But Trump also appeared to acknowledge the economic pain caused by the soaring price of oil.
He re-enacted the way he told his economic advisors that the US needed to start the conflict. At the convention center, there were signs of middling enthusiasm among the rank and file. Compared with the four-day traditional convention in Milwaukee two years ago, the first day felt muted.
There were no long queues to enter, no eternal waits for food or bathrooms. Swathes of empty seats were visible throughout Trump’s speech. Visible, except to Trump, who claimed, wrongly, that the arena was full.
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