President Trump used Truth Social to urge supporters to "pretend" he is on the midterm ballot, saying his presence boosts turnout by 45% and urging early or mail voting. He reiterated a pledge to give every adult American $5,000 if Republicans win both the House and Senate in the 2026 midterms, saying tariff revenues and large investment inflows would make the payments feasible. Trump also warned that Democratic policies would trigger steep economic damage comparable to 1929, and has previously said he will not issue the checks unless Republicans regain full congressional control.
Trump Urges Supporters To “Pretend” He’s On The Ballot, Repeats $5,000 Pledge Tied To GOP 2026 Sweep
Screenshot via Truth Social
President Donald Trump posted a series of videos to his Truth Social account on Saturday, urging supporters to "pretend" he is on the midterm ballot and reiterating a pledge to send $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans secure control of both chambers of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.
What Trump Said
In one clip, Trump encouraged voters to cast ballots early or by mail, saying: "In this election, I'm asking you to pretend I'm on the ballot. Whenever I'm on the ballot, we get 45% more votes. So I'm not on the ballot, but pretend I am because this is a big deal." He described the upcoming contests as "one of the most important elections of our lives."
The $5,000 Pledge
In a separate video, Trump again tied his promise of a $5,000 payment to an electoral outcome: "Only I can make you this promise. If Republicans win the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, I'm going to give all adult citizens in the United States of America $5,000."
How He Says It Would Be Funded
Trump asserted the payments would be feasible because of tariff revenue and what he described as large investment inflows. He claimed "the Trump dividend is approximately $1 trillion," and referred to "a record-setting $21 trillion that's being invested in our country in just the last 15 months," saying those sums would make the payouts "very easy" to deliver.
"We're taking in massive amounts of money through tariffs and record economic success," he said, adding that Democratic policies would lead to higher taxes and a severe economic downturn that, in his words, could resemble 1929.
Context And Previous Comments
The Saturday posts were among five videos Trump shared that morning. Last month, when asked why he would not issue the payments immediately rather than linking them to electoral success, he responded: "I don't want to do it now. Because if the Democrats go to get in, our country will be in shambles and they won't be able to do it." He has repeatedly framed the pledge as conditional on Republican control of both chambers.
Source: Mediaite (original post)
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