Trump Takes the Stage at Republican Convention: “If Republicans Win, We’ll Distribute $5,000 Per Person”

[Financial News] U.S. President Donald Trump touted the achievements of his second year in office in a keynote speech at the Republican Party’s midterm election convention in Dallas, Texas, on the 9th (local time), urging Republicans to rally their support ahead of the midterm elections in November.
According to U.S. media reports, Trump said in his keynote address on the opening day of the convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, “The last two years have been the most successful period financially and in every other way in the history of the American presidency.” He emphasized, “We will turn the resurgence of the past two years into a leap forward that will put us ahead for the next 250 years.” He also reiterated that the ongoing war with Iran would end immediately after Election Day.
In the speech, which lasted about one hour and 45 minutes, Trump focused heavily on the achievements of the immigration policies that have been a central priority of his presidency. Saying that “illegal immigration has been destroying America,” he stressed that the border had been completely sealed and claimed, “Not a single illegal immigrant has entered through the southern border in the past 15 months.” He added that the current homicide rate was the lowest since 1900.
By contrast, criticizing the Democratic Party’s time in power, he said, “The Democratic Party allowed 25 million unvetted illegal immigrants to enter the country, including gang members, human traffickers, child predators, and 11,888 murderers.”
Trump labeled the Democratic Party “far-left socialists” and warned, “Turning the country over to the Democratic Party would be a tremendous tragedy.” He criticized the administration of former President Joe Biden as “four years of disaster, chaos and death.”
He said, “Your vote will determine whether our country stumbles at the starting line of the next 250 years or moves forward with strength and never looks back.” He continued, “If we hand America’s future over to the radical left, the Democratic Party and our country will spend the next 10 years merely struggling to get back on its feet, and that would be a tragedy.” He appealed for support to defeat communism in the United States and protect Americans’ freedom.
In his speech, Trump made an unconventional campaign pledge, promising that if the Republican Party retains its majorities in the House and Senate, “every adult citizen will receive a dividend of $5,000 per person.”
The Republican Party currently faces the challenge of holding on to its narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress amid stagnant approval ratings for Trump. Referring to the historical precedent that the governing party often loses seats in midterm elections, Trump urged voters, “Think of this election as if I were personally running as a candidate, and vote accordingly.”
He stressed, “If we lose, we will lose the border, tax cuts, safety and our wealth,” and urged voters to “choose the Republican Party, which pursues common-sense policies, and protect America’s freedom.” The speech concluded with an endorsement of Texas Senate Republican candidate Ken Paxton and a promise to provide extensive campaign support in competitive states.
The event was attended by Vice President JD Vance; Donald Trump Jr.; Attorney General Todd Blanche; Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner.
Other attendees included key Republican figures such as Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, as well as Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
NBC News reported that several hundred seats in the upper sections of the American Airlines Center, which has about 19,000 seats, were empty. Trump, however, emphasized during his speech that the venue was packed.
John Fetterman, a Democratic senator, made a surprise appearance by video at the Republican Party convention, drawing attention. In a prerecorded video, Fetterman made remarks signaling his distance from socialist-leaning figures within the Democratic Party. He praised Dave McCormick, a Republican senator from Pennsylvania who also represents Philadelphia, and said he would work with Trump to address issues facing Pennsylvania, including the steel industry. “Yes, I am a Democrat. But why am I speaking to you today? Because I am a senator with common sense,” he said. He added that he would stand up for America and reject extremism, socialism and anti-American lifestyles, while asking viewers to support McCormick.
On the second day of the event, the 10th, Vice President Vance is scheduled to speak, while Trump is expected to deliver the closing address.
[email protected] Yoon Jae-jun Reporter