Republican leaders gathered in Dallas this week for the party's midterm convention, doubling down on a strategy centered on former President Trump as they fight to hold both chambers of Congress in November. The two-day event featured keynote addresses from Trump and Vice President Vance, along with tributes to the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk and warnings about the rise of democratic socialism.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) underscored the high stakes, calling the upcoming elections "the most important midterm election that has ever been" during his speech. Johnson is scheduled to appear on CNN's "State of the Union" and NBC's "Meet the Press" this Sunday.
The president sparked controversy on Wednesday when he unveiled a plan to send $5,000 checks to every U.S. adult if the GOP retains control of both chambers. "Here is my promise: If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them ... because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000," he told the Dallas audience.
The proposal drew immediate backlash, including from within his own party, as voters remain focused on cost-of-living concerns. The president has not clarified how the payments would be funded. Former Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) called it a "socialist vote-buying scheme," while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) warned it would "lead to more debt and inflation." "What I would say is, if you are getting surplus revenue, you should cut people's tax and return it to the people," DeSantis said Thursday in Miami.
The president's economic approval ratings have suffered amid ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran, which have spiked global energy prices, and the escalation of his administration's tariff conflict with Canada. In response to Canada's retaliatory tariffs, which took effect last week, Trump proposed new tariffs beginning next year. He also signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America," a move Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) slammed as "petty and disappointing." "We should be at the negotiating table, finding a path forward that strengthens both the U.S. and Canadian economies," Scott wrote on social media. "Further escalating tensions does nothing to help American or Canadian families and businesses." Scott will appear on "Fox News Sunday" alongside Govs. Kevin Stitt (R-Okla.), Josh Stein (D-N.C.), and Wes Moore (D-Md.).
Economic strain from Iran conflict and trade war
The U.S. and Iran continued trading strikes this week as the conflict enters its sixth month. On Tuesday, the U.S. military struck five Iranian oil tankers after Tehran's forces attempted an attack on U.S. Navy warships. The fighting has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil corridor, straining global energy markets. On Friday, the average U.S. diesel price hit a new high of $6.05 per gallon, a 63% increase year-over-year, according to AAA. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is set to appear on "State of the Union" and "Fox News Sunday" this weekend.
Democrats are leveraging economic uncertainty in their campaigns as they aim to retake both chambers. A CNN poll released Wednesday showed slight advantages for Democratic Senate candidates Troy Jackson in Maine and Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan in tight races. El-Sayed will join CBS's "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Additionally, former DNC fundraiser Lindy Li will appear on "Fox News Sunday," and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) will join ABC's "This Week."
Friday also marked the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. All former presidents and Vice President Vance attended a ceremony at Ground Zero, while Trump spoke at a memorial service at the Pentagon. During the Manhattan event, a widow of a 9/11 victim urged the administration to recognize Saudi Arabia's alleged ties to the attacks, an accusation the kingdom has denied. White House spokesperson Olivia Wales pointed to the trove of CIA documents declassified for the anniversary. The 71 filings included partially redacted intelligence briefings on al Qaeda that former Presidents Bush and Clinton received in the years before the attacks. While the documents offered no major new revelations, they provided insight into the threat information commanders-in-chief received. CIA Director John Ratcliffe called the release "an act of exceptional transparency."
Related coverage: US-Iran conflict enters ambiguous phase and Trump defends conditional $5K dividend.
