Trump Promises $5,000 'Trump Dividend' to Every Adult if GOP Keeps Congress
President Donald Trump told the GOP's inaugural midterm convention in Dallas that Republicans would receive a $5,000 dividend if the party holds the House and Senate, while polling shows voters disapprove of his economic handling.
President Donald Trump promised a $5,000 cash payment to every adult American if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress, a first-of-its-kind pledge delivered during the keynote address at the GOP's inaugural midterm convention in Dallas.
«I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,» Trump told thousands of supporters, describing the proposal as similar to a company distributing cash to its shareholders. «It will be called the 'Trump dividend,'» he added, framing the payment as a reward tied to what he called unprecedented economic strength.
The announcement came as Trump sought to rally Republican voters ahead of November's general election, acknowledging the historical difficulty incumbent parties face in midterm contests. «Almost never wins the midterms,» he said of presidents from both parties, asking the crowd to «pretend that I'm on the ballot» so Republicans could preserve what he described as momentum that should not be broken.
Trump credited the Republican-controlled Congress with passing what he called the largest tax cuts in the nation's history, citing provisions that eliminated taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits for seniors. He warned that losing either chamber would cost voters their border security, tax cuts, safety and wealth, saying «if we lose, you're going to lose your border.»
The Dallas appearance unfolded against polling that shows Trump underwater with voters on economic stewardship. Sixty-five percent of voters disapprove of his handling of the economy, according to Fox News polling, with cost of living and inflation ranking among the public's top concerns.
Trump also defended the military conflict with Iran, saying he has absorbed criticism over rising gas prices tied to the war but insisting «I'm right» because Iran was one month away from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Inflation has climbed from 2.4% to 3.4% since the conflict began in February, while gasoline prices have also risen, squeezing American households as the summer travel season ends and midterm campaigns intensify.
Attendees at the convention largely dismissed concerns about the president's economic policies. One Republican National Committee attendee said Trump is «doing the right thing,» arguing that tariffs are bringing money back and correcting the national debt. Jacquez Jones of Texas said he expects the full benefits of Trump's economic agenda to materialize once the Iran conflict ends, pointing to tariffs and what he called the golden age of the Trump economy.
Later in his remarks, Trump turned to Texas' high-profile U.S. Senate race between Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic state Rep. James Talarico, telling the crowd «we have to elect Ken Paxton.» He tied the race to border security, claiming the country now has the strongest borders in its history and the lowest level of illegal immigration ever recorded, adding that no illegal immigrants have entered through Texas in 16 months.
Trump also targeted Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, and touted foreign policy wins. After the arrest of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, he boasted about what he called the biggest oil deal ever, saying «65 billion barrels are ours» and that the arrangement could last 500 years.
The convention marked the first time the GOP has staged a midterm gathering of this kind, with Trump serving as the headline speaker on day one. His schedule and unusual role at the event had drawn attention in the run-up, as party leaders sought to translate the president's base appeal into turnout for congressional candidates.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has publicly downplayed Republican midterm difficulties while Democrats eye a possible House takeover, saying he remains «very bullish» about the party's prospects. Trump's dividend promise now adds an unusual financial incentive to that argument, though it remains unclear how such a payment would be funded or enacted.
For voters in the hall, the message was simpler. The president asked them to treat the midterms as a referendum on his own record, warning that the alternative would undo the policies his administration has pursued since January 2025. «We have something going that's so good we can't let that string be broken,» he said.
