Reuters. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (September 9) he would pay every American adult a $5,000 "Trump dividend" if Republicans retain control of Congress in November's midterm election, an extraordinary attempt to persuade voters to back his party.
Trump made the proposal at his Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention, but it was not immediately clear how the payments would work or whether they would be legal. With approximately 270 million U.S. adults, the idea would cost around $1.35 trillion.
The focus on Trump amounts to a risky bet that he can mobilize the voters who carried him to the presidency two years ago, despite public polls showing his approval ratings have hit an all-time low. The president vowed to pay multiple visits to battleground states and districts in the eight weeks until Election Day.
"I'm asking you to pretend that I'm on the ballot," Trump said, a line that may have pleased Democratic campaign strategists just as much as MAGA voters.
The convention presented a tough choice in particular for Republicans facing difficult elections who may need to distance themselves from the president to broaden their appeal but cannot afford to alienate Trump's most committed supporters.
On Iran, Trump said the United States may hit Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, urging Tehran to be cautious.
"We notice there's a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute because we will have to hit them very hard," Trump said in a speech at the midterm Republican convention.
Pickaxe Mountain, located near Iran's heavily damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility, is a fortified site that hosts two deeply buried tunnel complexes.
Trump has been threatening strikes on Pickaxe Mountain since at least mid-July.
