Trump Promises $5,000 Dividend to Every American if GOP Holds Congress — Price Tag: $1.3 Trillion

President Trump proposed a $5,000 payment to American adults, funded partly by tariff revenue, during the first-ever midterm Republican National Convention in Dallas this week. Trump asked voters to treat the midterms as a referendum on him, framing the choice as between "common sense Republicans" and "crazy Democrats," and pointed to policy positions from the Democratic Socialists of America, including abolishing the U.S. Senate, ICE, and the Supreme Court, to make his case. Several Republican officials and candidates also took the stage. Wisconsin Rep. Derek Van Orden touted $50 billion in federal funding for rural hospitals, citing Black River Falls Memorial Hospital in his district. North Carolina Senate candidate Michael Whatley criticized Democratic policies on crime, pointing to former Gov. Roy Cooper's release of 4,200 inmates in North Carolina and noting that more than half were later rearrested. Georgia Rep. Mike Collins discussed his push to pass the Laken Riley Act, which requires the mandatory detention of undocumented immigrants arrested or charged with certain crimes, including theft and assault. Both of Pennsylvania's senators appeared at the convention, including Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, who introduced himself to the crowd as "a common sense Democrat" and praised Republican Sen. Dave McCormick. Fetterman has grown increasingly distant from the Democratic Party since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and has sided with Republicans on issues including data centers, the Iran war, housing policy, government shutdowns, and immigration. Attendees also pressed Senate Republicans, including John Barrasso, to pass the Save America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to vote and restrict mail-in voting. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a potential 2028 presidential contender, held a competing event with Texas Democrats the same day, calling the GOP "clinically deranged" and questioning Trump's mental fitness. Pritzker also launched a new political action committee, Ready for the Fight, and says he plans to spend at least $20 million supporting Democratic candidates ahead of the November election.