Trump calls for voter participation at the Republican Party convention and promises $5,000 per citizen

It is nothing less than "one of the most important elections in the history of our country": Almost two months before the so-called midterm elections in the USA, President Donald Trump appeared at the Republican party conference in Dallas. In the midterm elections on November 3rd, voters should act as if his name was on the ballot, Trump said. And warned: If the Republicans lose in the midterms, the country will “go through hell.”

If the Republicans win, Trump promised all adult US citizens in the country $5,000 (around 4,300 euros). The whole thing should be called the “Trump dividend,” said the president. The payment is tied to only one condition: the money must be spent in the USA. "We don't want you to go to Canada, China or Germany."

In 2024, there were approximately 234.5 million registered voters in the United States. Trump's plan would cost around $1.17 trillion.

In the midterm elections, around a third of the seats in the Senate will be allocated and the entire House of Representatives will be re-elected. It is common for the incumbent president's party to lose seats, said Trump. He will change that. He also repeated his lie about a stolen election victory: he won the presidency “three times,” said Trump – “and we won everything else, too.”

Typically, Republicans and Democrats only hold their expensive and lavish party conventions before the presidential election. With the extraordinary, two-day event in Dallas, Texas, Trump's party is now trying to gain momentum before the important midterm elections. Things aren't looking particularly good for the Republicans at the moment. Trump's approval ratings are at an all-time low. The Iran war, which is unpopular in the USA, is driving fuel prices to their highest level in years (more on that here). And Republican candidates have recently failed in large numbers in primaries - even though they had Trump's election recommendation (more here).

And then a Democrat speaks out in Dallas

US Democrat John Fetterman caused a surprise in Dallas. He spoke at the party conference via video message. »Why am I here today, speaking to you? Because, well, I'm a common sense Democrat," the Pennsylvania senator said.

Fetterman portrayed Trump as a fighter for the steel industry - a core concern of the senator. Fetterman is considered a borderline crosser in Congress; There was always speculation about a possible change of party. US media interpreted his message to Republicans as evidence of growing alienation from his party.

The Republicans want to defend their thin majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate on November 3rd. In the Senate, the Democrats would have to take four seats from the Republicans and not lose any themselves if they wanted to achieve a majority. If there is a narrow majority for the Democrats, Fetterman's vote could be decisive.