After Trump promised to pay $5,000 if Republicans win, here's what to expect Thursday
At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, President Trump made a stunning and implausible pledge: to send every American adult a $5,000 cash dividend.
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made → promise → dividend
But only if his party maintains control of the House and the Senate in November's midterms.
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party → maintain → midterms
"If the Republicans win, you win with us," Trump said to applause.
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Trump → win → applause
"And it will be called the 'Trump dividend'.
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it → call → ?
Now all we have to do is win.
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we → have → ?
Republicans are facing significant political headwinds.
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Republicans → face → headwinds
"We might not win," Trump admitted.
uncertain
Trump → win → ?
Quick math puts the bill for this proposed "dividend" at more than $1 trillion.
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math → put → trillion
Plus, it's illegal to pay or be paid to influence voting.
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it → pay → voting
Trump's speech last night was a wide ranging, rally-style speech where he did everything from defend the Iran war to criticize the fashion sense of one Republican Senate candidate.
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he → range → candidate
He attacked Democrats as communist and extremists and begged Republicans to vote in November as if he were on the ballot.
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he → attack → ballot
"Please pretend that I'm running," he said.
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he → pretend → ?
"If we don't have the majorities, so much can be lost."
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much → have → majorities
Trump spoke for an hour and 44 minutes, far longer than scheduled.
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Trump → speak → hour
He will deliver closing remarks tonight as well.
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He → deliver → remarks
"But I'm not doing a big deal like this," he joked.
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he → do → this
"I gave you a lot of material.
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I → give → material
I don't have to do it twice."
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I → have → it
The two-night event, hatched by Trump, was meant for Republicans to energize the base ahead of the midterms.
"It took a little imagination to think of it," Trump said of the first ever Republican midterm convention.
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Trump → hatch → convention
In a preview of what to expect tonight, the focus on Trump was clear as the event kicked off Wednesday, with a lineup of Republican lawmakers, candidates and everyday Americans, praising the president and his policies.
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lineup → expect → president
It was capped off by Trump's headlining speech.
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It → cap → speech
Speaking to an arena with whole sections of empty seats, Trump rallied the party faithful.
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Trump → speak → faithful
"The midterms are not supposed to be won by [the party of] the sitting president, and we're going to change that," Trump said, promising to visit the states and districts of every Republican facing a close race.
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Trump → suppose → race
Tonight, Trump will share the convention's final hour with Vice President Vance.
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Trump → share → Vance
By the time Republicans hold their next convention in 2028, Trump will no longer be the center of the party's attention.
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Trump → hold → attention
The program tonight will include a tribute to the late republican activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated one year ago, and an observance of the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, which is Friday.
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which → include → attacks
MAGA celebrities and cabinet members will also grace the stage tonight.
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celebrities → grace → stage
Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is set to speak, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
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Leavitt → set → Health
Over the course of the convention, 19 Republicans in competitive House and Senate races will deliver short stump speeches.
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Republicans → deliver → speeches
Many of them have used the stage to position the Republican Party as the party of the American people, painting Democrats as aligned with "socialism" and "communism."
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Many → use → socialism
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is running to represent the state in the US Senate made those points, but also used his speech to ask for money.
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who → run → money
"I need your prayers, your vote and your support," Paxton said.
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Paxton → need → prayers
"If we lose Texas, we lose the common sense revolution.
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we → lose → revolution
If we lose the common sense revolution, we lose America."
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we → lose → America
His Democratic opponent, state Rep. James Talarico has a campaign cash advantage but Trump's Super PAC, MAGA Inc. just committed to spend $10 million, propping up Paxton and hitting Talarico.
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PAC → have → Talarico
A Republican shouldn't be in a tight race in Texas, but Paxton has been plagued by scandal and weak fundraising.
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Paxton → plague → scandal
Trump, in his remarks, urged Texans to vote for Paxton despite what the president considers to be his flaws.
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president → urge → Paxton
"Some may not like the way he dresses.
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he → like → way
I don't," Trump said as part of a lengthy and lighthearted critique of the man he endorsed.
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he → do → man
The Aporia
