WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump used his final campaign speech ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections to renew a major financial promise to voters, warning against a Democratic takeover of Congress and defending his administration’s economic record.
In his final major campaign appearance ahead of the midterm elections, Trump acknowledged the historical trend of the sitting president’s party losing seats in Congress during midterm polls.
“The party that holds the presidency doesn’t win the midterms,” he said during a speech in Washington, DC, on Monday afternoon, local time. “But we gave this a very strong shot.”
Describing Tuesday’s vote as a defining moment for the country, he added: “This is the most important midterm, I believe, in our lifetime.”
“We have to keep our Congress strong and free,” he said.
At the centre of his election pitch was a pledge to give every adult American citizen a $5,000 payment, which he has branded the “Trump Dividend”, if Republicans win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Trump has argued that the proposed payments would be financed through revenue generated by his administration’s tariffs, presenting the scheme as a dividend from what he describes as America’s economic success.
“If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump said while reiterating the proposal, according to accounts of his remarks.
The $5,000 Promise
The payment pledge was one of Trump’s most direct financial appeals to voters as Republicans faced the prospect of losing their congressional majorities.
However, the proposal raises significant questions about its affordability. FactCheck.org estimated that distributing $5,000 to approximately 245 million adult US citizens would cost around $1.2 trillion.
That is substantially more than the revenue generated by tariffs. The proposal would also require congressional approval, and Trump has not provided a detailed mechanism explaining how the payments would be funded and distributed.
A ‘Golden Age’
Defending his economic record, Trump described the United States as entering a new period of prosperity.
“Our country is doing great. I think it’s the greatest we’ve ever done… It’s the golden age of America,” he said.
He highlighted his administration’s tax cuts, border policies and efforts to increase domestic oil and natural gas production, portraying them as evidence that he had delivered on his campaign commitments.
Trump also warned that a Democratic victory would bring higher taxes, open borders and restrictions on the oil and gas industry. He described Democratic candidates as the most extreme and dangerous slate in American history.
He further warned that their policies could lead to a depression similar to the 1929 economic collapse.
Focus on Renovations
Despite the high stakes of the elections, Trump’s final public campaign appearance on Monday focused heavily on renovation work at Washington’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
He spent around 20 minutes discussing the administration’s construction and beautification projects, including improvements to the landmark, before turning more directly to the election.
“This is the last day before the midterm elections, the most important midterm I believe in our lifetime,” he said.
The focus on the renovation project drew criticism from Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who described Trump’s closing message as “pathetic” and accused him of failing to address voters’ concerns over the cost of living and the war with Iran.
Warning to Democrats
Trump also addressed the possibility of Republicans losing control of Congress, indicating that he would use his presidential veto power against legislation passed by a Democratic-controlled legislature.
“If we didn’t win, I veto everything,” he said in an interview with the New York Post’s Pod Force One podcast.
He added that political negotiations and agreements with Democrats might eventually follow, but suggested he would initially resist their legislative agenda.
The midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress or Democrats gain the power to challenge Trump’s policies, investigate his administration and influence government appointments.
