Trump Pledges $5,000 to Every Adult if Republicans Win U.S. Election... Vice President Offers Clarification Within an Hour

Two Months Before November U.S. Midterm Elections

Promise of Cash Payouts to Voters Sparks Controversy

Vance: "High-Income Individuals Excluded... Funded by Tariff Revenues"

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that if the Republican Party maintains its majority in Congress in the November midterm elections, he will provide a so-called "Trump Dividend" of approximately 5,000 dollars (about 6.7 million won) per adult to every U.S. adult. The move is being interpreted as a bold gambit by Trump to turn around the unfavorable outlook for the Republican Party.

U.S. President Donald Trump is delivering a speech at the Republican midterm convention held on the 9th (local time) in Dallas, Texas, USA. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

During the first-ever Republican midterm convention held in Dallas, Texas, on the 9th (local time), President Trump declared in his keynote speech, "If the Republican Party wins both the House and Senate," he pledged "to pay every American adult citizen a dividend of 5,000 dollars (about 6.7 million won)."

President Trump explained, "It is very similar to how successful companies distribute cash dividends to their shareholders," and attached the condition that "the money must be spent within the United States." However, the White House has not disclosed specific details regarding the disbursement method, funding sources, or legal grounds.

Foreign news outlets pointed out that given the U.S. adult population is approximately 270 million, the required budget would be about 1.35 trillion dollars (approximately 1,807 trillion won). The Associated Press criticized the plan, noting, "With the U.S. annual fiscal deficit reaching about 1.8 trillion dollars, this could further widen the deficit and heighten inflation concerns."

Vice President J.D. Vance released a statement that appeared to partially step back from the president's remarks about an hour after they were made. He suggested that high-income earners may be excluded from receiving the Trump Dividend and mentioned the possibility of using tariff revenue as a funding source.

President Trump on the 9th described his past two years in office as "the greatest two years in presidential history." Photo by Reuters-Yonhap News

On this day, President Trump described his past two years in office as "the greatest two years in presidential history." He stated, "If we let the radical left Democrats determine America's future, it will take the country ten years to recover," adding, "If you vote Republican, the U.S. will dominate the world for generations to come."

He further urged, "Vote as if my name is on the ballot," effectively framing the upcoming midterms as a vote of confidence in himself. He announced plans to visit key swing states and districts in the roughly eight weeks remaining until election day.

President Trump again targeted the Democratic Party, with some speakers labeling Democrats as "socialists" and "communists." Issues such as border control and the participation of transgender women in women's sports were heavily emphasized, while other issues currently of top concern to American voters—such as the rising cost of living and the conflict with Iran—were given relatively little attention.

President Trump defended his authorization of airstrikes against Iran, stating it was "a measure to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons." He also argued that "the price of oil will drop the moment we win the war against Iran," insisting the conflict would soon come to an end.

President Trump defended the decision to carry out airstrikes in Iran on the 9th, stating it was "a measure to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons." Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

Foreign media assessed that the convention demonstrated how the Republican Party has centered its midterm election strategy squarely around President Trump. For example, Joe Gruters, a member of the Republican National Committee (RNC), unofficially dubbed the event “Trumpalooza,” likening it to the famous music festival "Lollapalooza."

Heading into the midterms, the outlook for the Republican Party remains challenging. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted late last month, 46% of Democratic supporters expressed strong enthusiasm for voting in the midterms, outpacing Republican supporters by 15 percentage points (31%). President Trump’s job approval rating also stood at 33%, a career low for his political tenure. Similarly, a Financial Times (FT) poll conducted on the 6th showed Trump’s approval rating had fallen to 33%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.