US President Donald Trump kicked off the Republican Party’s midterm campaign season in Dallas on Wednesday night, headlining the opening of a highly unusual convention aimed at rallying voters ahead of November’s high-stakes battle for control of Congress.
“This has been the most successful two years financially and every other way in the history of the presidency,” he said, as the crowd chanted “USA! USA!”
In the almost two-hour-long speech, Trump also made a bold promise to give every adult US$5,000 if Republicans win the midterm elections, calling it a “Trump dividend”. He said the money would have to be spent in the United States.
“So it’s $5,000 to every adult,” he said. “The only caveat I have is that the dividend that we’re making must be spent in the United States of America.”
Unlike quadrennial conventions that formally nominate presidential candidates, the two-day gathering – dubbed a “Trump-a-palooza” by Republicans – has no nominating business. Instead, it is focused on showcasing Trump’s second term record and promoting candidates.
Trump’s speech focused largely on domestic issues but he also spent considerable time discussing tariffs and the trade war, the Iran war and his immigration policies.
“I said tariff is my favourite word and the fake news went crazy. They said, ‘what about love? What about wife? What about God, religion, family?’ So I moved tariff down to fifth,” he said.
Trump also mentioned China several times, including while he was discussing record foreign investment in the US and the visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping in a few weeks’ time.
“We have the president of China coming in two weeks, I get along great with him,” he said. “It’s a good thing, not a bad thing. Some people say, oh, it’s terrible. That’s a very good thing.”
He also touted the White House ballroom, whose construction has sparked controversy, saying it would be better than Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.
“When I was in China, they have a building. It’s called the Great Hall of China. It’s a serious hall. This is a very large hall, but we’re going to top it. You know, we’re going to top it,” he said.
Trump also repeated his criticism of previous presidents for allowing the semiconductor industry to move to Taiwan.
The convention’s agenda centres on tax cuts, the economy, border security, public safety, healthcare and medicine costs, as well as education and cultural issues.
Trump is scheduled to return to the event on Thursday for the closing speech. Vice-President J.D. Vance, several Cabinet officials, congressional leaders and candidates are also taking part.
Todd Blanche, the newly confirmed head of the Justice Department, spoke earlier and struck a forceful tone on public safety and immigration enforcement, saying that 2.6 million “criminal aliens” had been removed from the US so far.
“To evil men and women in this country, know this: President Trump will hold you accountable,” he said. “Americans, thank you for choosing to make our country safe again.”
Democrats have criticised the gathering as a Trump-centred political spectacle, accusing Republicans of pursuing what they called a reckless agenda, including the administration’s policies on Iran and tax cuts for wealthy Americans.
Texas itself is home to one of the most closely watched Senate races of the midterm cycle. The Trump-endorsed Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is facing Democratic state Representative James Talarico in November.
The race has drawn national attention, with recent polling showing the two candidates in close position. No Democrat has won a US Senate election in Texas since 1988. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
