Here’s a recap of the second, and final, night of the GOP midterm convention
Donald Trump doubled down on his pledge to pay all US adults $5,000 if Republicans hold on to control of Congress in the midterm elections. He’s one of the few people to actually mention the pledge tonight, as many lawmakers and officials – including his vice-president, JD Vance – avoided mentioning the so-called “dividend” altogether. Trump defended his plan: “We can do that because our country has never done better. We’re taking in trillions, trillions of dollars.”
In a shorter address to voters than his nearly two-hour speech on Wednesday, Trump again pleaded with voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” in November. In an improvised pledge of allegiance to himself, Trump directed the audience to commit to voting in the midterm elections at all costs. The president asked Republicans in the arena to repeat: “I don’t care if I’m registered or not. I’m going to try. And cheat like hell like they do.” Trump also told those gathered in Dallas that they would “go to hell” if they didn’t vote.
Earlier, JD Vance urged Republicans who may oppose parts of the Trump administration’s agenda not to abandon the party in November’s congressional races. The vice-president pointed to Charlie Kirk – the conservative activist killed a year ago today – to argue that voters shouldn’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater” over “a policy issue here or there”, an apparent nod to dissent over the Iran war that he avoided naming.
Vance’s speech, in many ways, was an audition for a possible 2028 presidential run. He spent much of his time on stage setting out the threats of the so-called “far left”, listing the administration’s greatest hits and slamming Joe Biden’s tenure in office.
Other cabinet officials and Trump allies addressed the crowd at the hastily organized convention in Dallas. Throughout the night we heard from health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who said the “irony” of his “presence here is inescapable” – a former Democrat from a political dynasty. “I mourn the fact that neither my father nor my uncle would recognize the Democratic party of today,” Kennedy said. Meanwhile, Karoline Leavitt, the former White House secretary, said it felt “much better speaking to a stadium full of patriots than a briefing room full of journalists”.
Meanwhile, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the arena to protest Trump’s policy agenda. Dallas police said that two people were taken into custody after an alleged assault involving a counter-protester and for blocking a roadway.
Also today, Trump said that he doesn’t think that Congress would need to approve the $5,000 checks that he wants to cut should Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in November. “The country is doing so well, we’ve taken in trillions of dollars in tariffs and other things,” the president said in an interview with CBS News – inflating the revenue generated from the duties he’s implemented. However, any money generated from tariffs is deposited to the US treasury, and then allocated by Congress through legislation.
Key events
2h ago
Here’s a recap of the second, and final, night of the GOP midterm convention
3h ago
Trump doubles down on pledge of $5,000 payments to US adult citizens if his party retains control of Congress
4h ago
Vance pleads with voters to ‘not throw the baby out with the bathwater’ if they disagree with certain Republican policies
4h ago
Vance praises Charlie Kirk as a ‘great man’
4h ago
JD Vance takes stage at GOP midterm convention
5h ago
‘It feels good to be back behind a podium’: Karoline Leavitt addresses Republicans in Dallas
5h ago
Robert F Kennedy Jr takes stage and notes ‘irony of my presence’ at Republican convention
6h ago
Collins says that Trump’s proposed $5,000 dividend would be ‘extraordinarily costly’
6h ago
Vulnerable New York congressman says his convention message is aimed at ‘commonsense Democrats’
7h ago
House speaker Johnson says ‘Democrats in the swing seats’ are those who have ‘let barbarians inside the gate’
7h ago
Prosecutor leading DoJ investigation into Trump political enemies resigned – report
8h ago
Trump says Congress would not need to approve $5,000 midterm pledge
8h ago
Palantir founder and Trump ally pushes back against $5,000 midterm incentive
9h ago
Trump spends National Medal of Honor ceremony attacking James Talarico
9h ago
Beto O’Rourke says he won’t seek 2028 Democratic presidential nomination
9h ago
Second night of GOP midterm convention begins with JD Vance set to deliver keynote address
9h ago
‘That’s how desperate he is to hold on to power’: Newsom calls Trump’s $5,000 midterm pledge ‘pathetic and sad’
9h ago
Here’s a recap of the day so far
10h ago
Missouri secretary of state orders restoration of old congressional district maps
11h ago
Voting and civil rights groups file lawsuit to keep ICE away from polls
12h ago
Appeals court upholds block on Trump’s executive order limiting mail voting
13h ago
James Talarico accuses Paxton of dismissing Epstein survivors
13h ago
Beto O’Rourke calls Trump’s promise of $5,000 payments “a bribe”
15h ago
Supreme Court sides against GOP-redrawn Missouri congressional maps, again
15h ago
Trump administration allows 170,000 migrants from El Salvador to keep deportation protections, for now
17h ago
Top Trump advisors warn Iran war could outlast his second term, report says
18h ago
Democrat John Fetterman makes surprise appearance at Republican convention
19h ago
Vance appears to walk back Trump claims that US citizens will receive $5,000 if Republicans win midterms
Once again, the president tried to assuage the shock of oil prices increasing to more than $100 a barrel amid renewed hostilities with Iran.
“The prices will go back to where they were,” he insisted. “The prices will go down to less than $2 a gallon for oil … I’m pretty sure. I’m pretty good at it.”
A reminder that the average price for a gallon of gas is more than a dollar higher than before the war with Iran started in February.
Trump also continued to praise JD Vance’s performance at the convention.
“I think he did very well tonight, and he’s a very talented guy. He’s a great been a great vice-president. I think he did a very good job,” Trump said.
Ahead of flying back to Washington, Trump told reporters on the tarmac that he isn’t pledging the $5,000 checks for every US adult to turn out the vote.
“I did it as a reward,” he said, for “four years of horrible, a horrible situation caused by Biden”.
Trump reiterated that the money, estimated to be well over $1tn, will come from tariff revenues and global investments.
“We have growth like no country has ever seen before. We have trillions of dollars coming in, and that will end up being not a very big problem at all. And I think our people deserve it,” he said.
Donald Trump speaks to members of the press before boarding Air Force One at Dallas Fort Worth international airport on 10 September 2026. Photograph: Evan Vucci/Reuters Here are a few pictures as the second day of the GOP midterm convention wrapped up. The press pool notes that Donald Trump has now boarded his flight from Dallas, back to Washington.
Balloons drop at the conclusion of the second day of the 2026 Republican national convention on 10 September 2026. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty Images Balloons fall after Trump delivers an address to close the second day of the GOP midterm convention on 10 September 2026. Photograph: Jeff Mcwhorter/EPA Here’s a recap of the second, and final, night of the GOP midterm convention
Donald Trump doubled down on his pledge to pay all US adults $5,000 if Republicans hold on to control of Congress in the midterm elections. He’s one of the few people to actually mention the pledge tonight, as many lawmakers and officials – including his vice-president, JD Vance – avoided mentioning the so-called “dividend” altogether. Trump defended his plan: “We can do that because our country has never done better. We’re taking in trillions, trillions of dollars.”
In a shorter address to voters than his nearly two-hour speech on Wednesday, Trump again pleaded with voters to “pretend I’m on the ticket” in November. In an improvised pledge of allegiance to himself, Trump directed the audience to commit to voting in the midterm elections at all costs. The president asked Republicans in the arena to repeat: “I don’t care if I’m registered or not. I’m going to try. And cheat like hell like they do.” Trump also told those gathered in Dallas that they would “go to hell” if they didn’t vote.
Earlier, JD Vance urged Republicans who may oppose parts of the Trump administration’s agenda not to abandon the party in November’s congressional races. The vice-president pointed to Charlie Kirk – the conservative activist killed a year ago today – to argue that voters shouldn’t “throw the baby out with the bathwater” over “a policy issue here or there”, an apparent nod to dissent over the Iran war that he avoided naming.
Vance’s speech, in many ways, was an audition for a possible 2028 presidential run. He spent much of his time on stage setting out the threats of the so-called “far left”, listing the administration’s greatest hits and slamming Joe Biden’s tenure in office.
Other cabinet officials and Trump allies addressed the crowd at the hastily organized convention in Dallas. Throughout the night we heard from health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who said the “irony” of his “presence here is inescapable” – a former Democrat from a political dynasty. “I mourn the fact that neither my father nor my uncle would recognize the Democratic party of today,” Kennedy said. Meanwhile, Karoline Leavitt, the former White House secretary, said it felt “much better speaking to a stadium full of patriots than a briefing room full of journalists”.
Meanwhile, dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the arena to protest Trump’s policy agenda. Dallas police said that two people were taken into custody after an alleged assault involving a counter-protester and for blocking a roadway.
Also today, Trump said that he doesn’t think that Congress would need to approve the $5,000 checks that he wants to cut should Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in November. “The country is doing so well, we’ve taken in trillions of dollars in tariffs and other things,” the president said in an interview with CBS News – inflating the revenue generated from the duties he’s implemented. However, any money generated from tariffs is deposited to the US treasury, and then allocated by Congress through legislation.
Aram Roston
Earlier, we reported that Joseph diGenova, the longtime Trump loyalist hired in April to pursue the “grand conspiracy” charges against the president’s perceived enemies such as former CIA director John Brennan, resigned today.
I called diGenova and he said pointedly that “sometimes people want things done faster and that’s all you can do”. He appeared to be referring to concerns among other Trump loyalists that Trump’s retribution cases weren’t moving quickly enough.
“The bottom line is it takes a long time to make good cases, and you simply have to work at it. And, you know, sometimes people want things done faster, and that’s all you can do. All you can do is do the best you can under the circumstances,” diGenova added.
Retribution by the justice department against Trump’s perceived adversaries has been one of the president’s highest priorities. Though diGenova’s comments to the Guardian clearly hint at dissent and disagreement inside the justice department over the cases, he declined to spell out exactly why he quit.
“I’m not going to make any comments about indictments or anything else. When you’ve been a prosecutor as long as I have. You know how to make cases, and it takes time. And that’s just part of the process. And sometimes that works out, and sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.
During the first Trump administration, diGenova was a legal adviser to far-right journalist John Solomon, who has played an official role in White House efforts to push the conspiracy allegations.
Trump’s energy for talking about politics appears to have waned.
“I’ve been doing this now for seven days straight. I want a little music, if you don’t mind,” Trump said, while introducing opera singer Christopher Macchio.
In an improvised pledge of allegiance to himself, Trump directed the audience to commit to voting in the midterm elections at all costs.
The president asked Republicans in the arena to repeat: “I don’t care if I’m registered or not. I’m going to try. And cheat like hell like they do.”
Trump added: “You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell.”
People raise there hands to take a pledge as directed by Donald Trump on the second night of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. Photograph: Alex Wong/Getty Images Trump said that voters have to do “the biggest favor you’ve ever done me” and “pretend I’m on the ticket”.
“In a way I am on the ballot,” the president said, despite the fact that many Republicans in battleground states might actually be hampered by yolking themselves to the Trump administration, amid record low approval ratings.
Trump acknowledged that when he’s on the ticket “everybody comes to vote”, but it is still crucial to vote for Republicans in races across the country.
He urged Republicans to turn out and vote for Ken Paxton, the GOP nominee for US Senate in Texas. Once again, Trump took digs at Paxton’s appearance, and even revealed that many advisers pleaded with him to not offer comment.
“I don’t really like the way he looks, I don’t like it,” Trump said. “But you know what I do like? He was the greatest attorney general in the history of Texas.”
Trump doubles down on pledge of $5,000 payments to US adult citizens if his party retains control of Congress The president just mentioned the $5,000 for all US adults he has promised if Republicans win the midterm elections. He’s one of the few people to actually mention the pledge on stage tonight.
“We can do that because our country has never done better. We’re taking in trillions, trillions of dollars,” Trump said.
The major legal question of whether this “dividend” actually violates federal law still remains.
As he runs through what he sees as his main achievements, Trump repeats his false claim that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act has delivered the “largest tax cuts in American history”.
This isn’t true. In fact, these tax cuts aren’t actually in the top five in US history.
Trump praised Vance for his performance on stage, and repeated claims that the venue is “packed” again.
He said he would be “a little bit brief” in his remarks because of his nearly two-hour speech last night.
“I don’t feel like going over the same material again,” the president said.
Donald Trump is, again, walking on stage to a second live performance of God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood.