DALLAS – President Donald Trump headlined the opening night of the inaugural Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday.
The president used the speech to rail against Democrats and bring up familiar conservative talking points such as border security, transgender people in sports and voting identification requirements.
Trump urges Republicans to ‘pretend’ he’s on the ballot
Trump said that while Republicans do well when he’s on the ballot, he admitted that it’s hard for a sitting president’s party to keep it’s hold on Congress when it comes to the midterms.
“We’ve got to change that,” Trump said.
“I’m asking you to pretend I’m on the ballot,” he added.
Trump says a new attack on Iran could be coming
Trump was detailing the lead up and execution of the opening salvos of the Iran warn when he said there could be a new attack coming on the country.
“There’s another place called Pickaxe Mountain, another nice place, but we may have to give them a shot there too because somebody said there was a little movement at the site,” Trump said.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies reported Wednesday that analysis of imagery of the nuclear site about 140 miles south of Tehran has show activity has shifted toward exterior reinforcement.
Trump promises $5,000 checks for Americans if Republicans win
The president promised that Americans will be rewarded if Republicans maintain control of Congress during the midterm elections.
“Because of tremendous strength and success economically, I will issues a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said to a cheering crowd.
However, Trump said the money could only be spent in the U.S.
“If the Republicans win, you win with us,” Trump said.
‘Bull—-’: Trump rails against Democrats on voter ID
The president leaned into a familiar issue during his speech – changes to voter identification requirements. Trump has repeatedly called for voters to provide photo identification and proof of citizenship in order to cast a ballot.
He brushed off Democrats concerns about those proposals.
“They have more bull—- than any human beings on the planet,” Trump said.
Trump stumps for Paxton while ragging on his appearance, voice
The president used part of his speech to campaign for Texas Attorney General and Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
“We have to elect Ken Paxton,” Trump said.
Repeating something Trump has said about Paxton before, he ripped into Paxton’s fashion choices, voice and appearance, while chuckling. Then, he pivoted to call Paxton the great attorney general in America.
“He deserves to be your next senator,” Trump said.
The Source: Information in this story came from a live stream of the Republican midterm convention.