Trump Tells GOP Midterm Convention He Must ‘Finish the Job,’ Unveils Agenda for Next Two Years
President Donald Trump used a marathon speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas Wednesday night to lay out what he wants to accomplish during the final two years of his presidency while urging supporters to treat November’s elections as though his own name were on the ballot.
Trump told the crowd to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” as Republicans fight to maintain control of the House and Senate. He argued that continued GOP control of Congress is necessary for his administration to “finish the job” and enact the remainder of its legislative agenda.
One of Trump’s biggest announcements was a proposal to issue a $5,000 payment to every adult American citizen if Republicans retain both chambers. Trump compared the proposed payment to a dividend distributed by a successful company to its shareholders, although the plan would require congressional approval and could cost more than $1.2 trillion.
Trump also outlined a lengthy list of policies he wants Congress to pursue over the next two years. His proposals included medical billing reforms, greater hospital price transparency, limits on credit-card transaction fees, changes targeting state cashless-bail policies and legislation imposing the death penalty on large-scale drug traffickers.
The president said he would continue pursuing national voter identification legislation and expanded domestic energy production. He also called for making permanent tax provisions involving tips, overtime and Social Security income and for legislation designed to prevent future administrations from returning to Biden-era border policies.
Trump repeatedly contrasted his agenda with that of Democrats and warned supporters that Republican losses in November could jeopardize policies enacted since he returned to office. He specifically pointed to border enforcement, tax policy, public safety and the economy as areas where he said Democratic control of Congress could reverse his administration’s actions.
The president also pledged to campaign extensively for Republican candidates before Election Day. Trump said he intends to visit states containing roughly 35 competitive House and Senate races and suggested he could make multiple appearances in particularly important contests.
The Dallas gathering is the Republican Party’s first midterm convention of its kind and comes less than two months before the Nov. 3 elections. Republicans are defending their congressional majorities, while Democrats are seeking control of Congress during the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
Trump acknowledged the historical difficulty presidents face in midterm elections but argued that Republicans could overcome that pattern by turning out voters who supported him in presidential elections. He framed November as a decision over whether his administration will have the congressional support necessary to carry out the remainder of its agenda through 2028.