Trump's vow of $5,000 payments to Americans faces bipartisan criticism

Liz Landers:

During a nearly two-hour speech at the Republican Midterm Convention, President Donald Trump made a pledge to every American.

President Donald Trump:

And here is my promise. If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic, tremendous economic success -- in history, we have never had anything like what's happening.

I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.

(Cheering)

Liz Landers:

It's a promise that could cost more than $1 trillion and had some Republicans questioning the price tag.

Texas Congressman Chip Roy writing on X that -- quote -- "Dependency is evil and soul-sucking in all its forms."

Rick Hasen, UCLA School of Law: He doesn't have the power to do this on his own. You have to get Congress to do it.

Liz Landers:

The potential payout raised questions from some about whether the president was trying to buy votes. but, says election law expert Rick Hasen, it's likely legal.

Rick Hasen:

I think if a state actually tried to prosecute Trump, which seems very unlikely, that the courts would say that his activity is protected by the First Amendment because it's a campaign promise. It's really not that much different from saying, if you vote for me, I will pass Medicare for all. If you vote for me, I will cut your taxes by 20 percent.

Politicians make these kinds of things all the time. So long as they're public and they're given to every voter, it's just part of campaign rhetoric.

Liz Landers:

The president defended his plan in an interview on FOX News today.

Laura Ingraham, FOX News Anchor:

Why not just give the money now? If you have the money, why not give it now?

(Crosstalk)

Donald Trump:

Because they can't -- I'll tell you what, because the Democrats can't do it. Because, with them, it's negative growth. With us, it's so positive. So we're taking in $21 trillion. Nobody, no country's ever taken in anywhere near that. It's four or five times higher than the next guy, all because of that beautiful word that you and I love more than most others, tariffs.

Liz Landers:

When asked by PBS News for details on the dividend payment and cost, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said in part -- quote -- "President Trump has consistently proven his doubters wrong, drawing a clear contrast with the Democrats' record of historic inflation, unfettered illegal immigration, skyrocketing crime and weakness on the world stage."

It's not the first time the president has pledged Americans money. In 2020, the federal government sent stimulus checks emblazoned with Trump's name to certain Americans to offset the COVID economic crash. But he has floated the idea of DOGE stimulus checks and tariff rebates for consumers, neither of which materialized.

The president revisited familiar themes and touted what he sees as the Republicans' biggest accomplishment so far, passing a sweeping tax cuts bill and securing the southern border. He also repeated this falsehood:

Donald Trump:

We won the presidency three times.

Liz Landers:

Trump lost the 2020 election by more than seven million votes.

Announcer:

UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

Liz Landers:

More than 50 speakers on the day's main stage included some unusual appearances. Attorney General Todd Blanche broke with modern DOJ tradition, the first A.G. to address a political convention in more than 60 years.

Todd Blanche, U.S. Attorney General:

To evil men and women in this country, know this. President Trump will hold you accountable.

(Cheering)

Todd Blanche:

If you traffic children, you will be held accountable. If you sell death in a pill, you will be held accountable. If you choose violence, you will be held accountable. And if you steal from people who work hard and pay taxes, you will be held accountable.

(Cheering)

Todd Blanche:

Now, that, that is making America safe again.

Liz Landers:

And Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman crossed party lines, making a surprise video appearance to introduce his Senate colleague.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA):

Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I'm a commonsense Democrat. I'm always going to stand with America. I'm always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life. We will work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way of life right here in the Steel Valley.

Liz Landers:

Other Democrats descended on Dallas to counterprogram the convention with their own vision.

President Trump commented yesterday that this arena was sold out and remarked at least a half-dozen times while he was speaking that this room was packed. And while the convention floor and this lower deck here near where we are standing was certainly full during his speech, the upper decks definitely had empty seats.

Geoff, this arena holds 21,000 people.

Geoff Bennett:

So, Liz, based on your reporting, what can we expect to hear from the speakers tonight?

Liz Landers:

I think we should expect to hear a continuation of a lot of the same themes that we heard last night and touting President Trump's accomplishments.

We know that Speaker Mike Johnson is going to be speaking tonight, delivering what he calls a contrast for America, contrasting Republican tax cuts with what they say the ruin is that Democrats would bring if they did in fact retake the House.

We're also expected to hear from a number of people in President Trump's inner circle, including his son Don Jr., his former White House Press Secretary and now outside adviser Karoline Leavitt, also Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Today also marks the one-year anniversary of the killing, the assassination of Charlie Kirk. And we are certainly expecting to hear about him and his legacy on the conservative movement, in particular young conservatives here today.

J.D. Vance, the vice president, will also deliver the keynote address. He was close with Charlie Kirk, so I think we should expect to hear from the vice president about him as well. President Trump is going to deliver a speech tonight, but we are not expecting it to be nearly as long as the almost two-hour address he gave last night, Geoff.

Geoff Bennett:

Liz Landers in Dallas for us tonight.

Liz, our thanks to you.