Dallas: President Donald Trump opened the Republican Party’s first midterm convention with an aggressive pitch to voters, touting his administration’s economic record while urging Republicans to defend their majorities in the House and Senate in the November elections.
In a striking pledge, Trump said he would give every adult American a $5,000 payment if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress, describing the proposed payout as a “Trump dividend.”
“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them,” Trump said, citing what he called unprecedented economic success, “I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.”
Trump compared the proposal to a cash distribution made by a successful company to its shareholders but offered no details on how the payments would be funded or implemented.
The president used the opening of the convention to make the midterm elections a referendum on his second administration, which began in January 2025. Trump gave himself a favorable assessment of his performance before turning to the historical difficulty presidents face in midterm elections.
Trump acknowledged that the party in power has traditionally struggled to retain congressional control during midterms, regardless of the president’s approval or policy record.
“We’ve got to change that,” Trump said, calling on Republicans to preserve what he described as the administration’s momentum. He urged supporters to treat the election as if he himself were on the ballot.
.@POTUS .@realDonaldTrump will go on A SuperTrump mode to woo voters for the Republicans ahead of the midterms, he is the headliner at the #RNCMidtermconvention .@Republicans .@RNCResearch. He knows Nov 3 will be a high stakes election for Trump 2.0
Here is the full speech live… pic.twitter.com/KJ14wFNXkq— Saurabh Shukla सौरभ शुक्ल (@isaurabhshukla) September 10, 2026
Trump also credited congressional Republicans for advancing his legislative agenda, pointing to tax cuts and other measures he said would benefit working Americans and senior citizens.
Among the policies he highlighted were provisions involving taxes on tips, overtime income and Social Security benefits.
The president warned that a Republican defeat in either chamber would put key parts of his agenda at risk, including border policies, tax cuts and what he described as gains in national security and household wealth.
Trump also stepped up his attacks on Democrats, portraying the opposition party as increasingly extreme and calling on Republicans to remain united ahead of the election. He said he plans to campaign in critical House and Senate battlegrounds.
The convention, branded by organizers as a “Trump-a-Palooza,” brings together more than 100 Republican speakers, including members of Trump’s Cabinet and candidates running in competitive races.
Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to address the gathering Thursday, while Trump is set to speak on both nights of the convention.
But Trump’s dominant presence has also created a dilemma for some Republican candidates in closely contested races. Several candidates have chosen to skip the convention as they seek to maintain distance from the president in swing states where his political standing remains more divisive.
Foreign policy and the economy are also emerging as major issues heading into the midterms. The ongoing war involving Iran has contributed to higher energy prices, with Brent crude rising above $100 a barrel.
Trump suggested the conflict could continue beyond the election but predicted oil prices would decline after the midterms.
He also used the convention to boost Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is competing in a closely watched Senate race.
Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of focusing on political battles while failing to adequately address voters’ concerns about housing costs, food prices, health care, child care and energy expenses.
The competing messages underscore the central battle ahead of November: Trump and Republicans are seeking to turn the election into a referendum on their economic and political agenda, while Democrats are attempting to make the cost of living and everyday household pressures the defining issue for voters.
