Trump Faces Mounting Midterm Pressure: $5,000 'Trump Dividend' Voter Pitch Draws Scrutiny as GOP Braces for Hard Fight to Keep Congress

Odaily News: At a Republican midterm convention, Trump made a bold promise: if Republicans retain the House and Senate in the November midterm elections, every American adult citizen will receive a $5,000 "Trump dividend." The plan is expected to cost more than $1 trillion, but Trump did not specify the funding source, and it would require congressional approval to implement. This rare promise highlights the mounting midterm pressure facing Trump and the Republican Party. Trump's approval ratings remain under pressure, voter dissatisfaction over the cost of living and the Iran war is rising, and several Republican candidates in tight races even skipped the convention; Republicans also need to defend their slim House majority, while Senate seats are also facing competitive battles. In his speech, Trump unusually asked voters to "pretend I'm on the ballot," and acknowledged that the president's party typically loses congressional seats in midterm elections. He also promised to spend more time helping Republican candidates campaign, seeking to recast himself as the central mobilizing force for the November elections. Meanwhile, U.S. national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, and the fiscal feasibility of the $5,000 dividend plan is being questioned. Republicans are also beginning to seek adjustments to the plan, with Senator Ted Cruz suggesting it could be designed as a tax rebate with work requirements.