President Donald Trump urged Americans to vote in November as if his name were on the ballot, promising them a $5,000 “Trump Dividend” if Republicans retain control of Congress while making himself the centerpiece of a midterm election some vulnerable GOP candidates are approaching more cautiously.
“Please pretend that I’m running, and get out and vote on Nov. 3, or sooner,” Trump told supporters Wednesday at the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas. “Because, in actuality, I really am running.”
Trump repeatedly tied Republicans’ fortunes to his own, telling supporters he plans to campaign in states with closely contested House and Senate races — even as several Republicans facing competitive elections skipped the Dallas gathering.
“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” Trump said. “Just one more time.”
He also offered voters a considerably more tangible incentive: $5,000.
“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate … I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said.
Trump claimed the payments were possible because of the country’s economic strength, though he offered few details about how the proposal would work or be funded. He said recipients would be required to spend the money in the United States.
“It will be called the Trump Dividend,” Trump said.
When he wasn’t promising voters cash, Trump spent much of the lengthy address attacking Democrats, repeatedly branding them “communists” and warning that a Democratic takeover of Congress would undo his second-term agenda.
“If they win, the greatest legislative body in history will, for the first time ever, be controlled by a communist caucus,” Trump said.
He also went after individual Democratic candidates, calling Texas Senate candidate James Talarico a “weird looking dude” and comparing him to Mad magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman. Trump even took a swipe at Republican Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, saying he “may not be the best-looking guy” before declaring him “the greatest attorney general in America.”
Trump defended the ongoing war with Iran and threatened further military action, saying the U.S. had detected activity at an Iranian site he called “Pickaxe Mountain.”
“I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” Trump said.
The president found time for several other topics during the sprawling address. He floated renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait,” once again suggested changing New Mexico to “New America” and weighed in on the Dallas Mavericks’ trade of Luka Dončić.
But Trump ultimately returned to the midterms — and himself.
“This is one of the most important elections of your lives,” Trump said, again urging supporters to vote as though he were running.
“We’re going to give you that Trump Dividend of $5,000 if we win,” he added. “And we’re gonna win.”
