US President Donald Trump promises every US citizen a direct payment of $5,000 if his Republican Party wins the majority in both chambers of Congress again in the midterm elections in early November. “If the Republicans win, you win with us and get $5,000,” he said at a party conference in Dallas, Texas.
The money, the equivalent of around 4,300 euros, should come from the state treasury and only go to adults. Roughly speaking, the election promise amounts to a good one trillion US dollars - about as much as the entire defense budget. A corresponding decision in Congress therefore appears neither politically nor financially realistic.
However, the idea of direct payments to US citizens is not new: Trump had already brought up a direct payment of $2,000 last year, but then did not pursue it further. The money should allow Americans to contribute to the USA's customs revenue - with the exception of higher earners.
Customs disputes and war dampen the mood
At the two-day party conference, which was unusual before the midterms, Trump portrayed himself as a political savior, while the opposition Democrats portrayed themselves as a radical threat to the left. It is accompanied by the discontent of many voters about the tariff dispute with Canada and the war in Iran - both of which continue to drive up consumer prices and dampen the mood.
In the customs dispute with Canada, the USA recently announced import bans for certain products from the neighboring country. The USA and Israel launched a war against Iran at the end of February.
The dozens of speakers on the first day of the event stuck to a narrow thematic focus: the fight against fraud, migration, rising prices. Only Trump spoke at length in his almost two-hour speech about the war in Iran, which he defended.
“Is there anyone here who thinks Iran should have nuclear weapons?” he asked the crowd. The spectators, many of whom were dressed in red, white and blue, responded with a resounding “No”. Trump also renewed his provocation to rename the Strait of Hormuz as Trump Strait. “I’m sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled.”
Democratic election victory? Republicans paint a bleak picture
What united Trump's speech and the contributions of many previous speakers were sharp attacks against Democrats, who were portrayed as a radical left-wing threat to the country. “The only thing they agree on is their disgusting hatred of America and our great president,” said influential Republican Representative Tom Emmer. His party colleague Steve Scalise warned of a party that had been completely taken over by “crazy communists”. The Republican election campaign as a fight for survival for the USA: This is how the Republicans in Dallas portrayed it.
Leaving the country's future to the "radical left-wing Democrats" will set the United States back for the next decade, Trump warned. “That would be a tragedy,” he continued – and urged his compatriots to vote Republican.
Trump turns midterms into a vote on himself
Despite his poor poll numbers, Trump still sees himself as a driving force in the election campaign. His supporters should simply imagine that his name is on the ballot: “Please act as if I were a candidate.” It remains unclear how successful the Republicans will be in getting their supporters to vote in the midterms.
In the elections on November 3rd, around a third of the seats in the Senate and the entire House of Representatives will be re-elected. It is usual for the president's party to lose seats - the Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers. If the Democrats win the majority in even one of the chambers, they can block the Trump administration's legislative proposals and investigate them through committee investigations.
Many places remain empty
Even before the US President even arrived at the party conference, it was clear that he would be the focus here. His likeness was featured in countless pictures hung in the corridors of the arena, on numerous social media posts, and even on the ID card for journalists.
At the event itself, Trump met with a mixed response: the spectators repeatedly interrupted him with frenetic cheers and chants of “USA, USA,” but many seats in the arena in Dallas remained empty.
