<p>President Donald Trump proposed a $5,000 "Trump dividend" during his speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on September 9, 2026. He stated that this payout would be possible if Republicans retained control of Congress in the November 2026 elections.</p>
<p>Trump attributed the potential dividend to the country's economic success during his presidency, which he described as unprecedented. The audience responded positively to the announcement, with many supporters expressing excitement about the proposed payment.</p>
<figure><blockquote>David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, criticized the proposal, suggesting that those who believe in the dividend are naive. He tweeted, "If you really believe that you're going to get a $5000 check from @POTUS for voting Republican this fall, he probably has an arch in Washington he wants to sell you." This comment was made on September 10, 2026.</blockquote></figure>
<p>Trump stated, "If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our tremendous economic success, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000." However, critics, including Axelrod, dismissed the proposal as unrealistic and opportunistic.</p>
<p>Axelrod also commented on the midterm convention itself, stating that no Republican in a contested race would want to attend an event featuring a president who is perceived as unpopular. He expressed this sentiment in a separate post on August 30, 2026, saying, "If they’re being honest, no rational Republican who has a truly contested race in November wants to attend a midterm @GOP convention in Dallas shortly after Labor Day that will feature a deeply unpopular @POTUS, who hangs from their necks like the anchor off the Queen Mary 2."</p>