Vance speaks on second night of GOP midterm convention
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President Donald Trump delivered the closing remarks tonight at the convention in Dallas.
What to know today
- GOP CONVENTION DAY 2: Vice President JD Vance headlined the second night of the Republican National Committee's first midterm convention. He was followed by President Donald Trump, who gave the closing remarks.
- TRUMP VOWS $5K 'DIVIDENDS,' END TO WAR: Trump put himself front and center last night, with keynote remarks that included a prediction that the war with Iran would end shortly after the November election and a promise to issue $5,000 "dividends" to every U.S. adult if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in the midterms.
- GOP REDISTRICTING: The Supreme Court today blocked an attempt by a Republican state official in Missouri to use a newly drawn GOP congressional map for this year’s elections.
Vance positions himself as a fighter for family values and a ‘national birthright’
Vance tonight offered his young family — in particular, his newborn son — as a model and a window to the future that the potential 2028 presidential contender envisions for America.
In a speech here at the Republicans’ midterm convention, Vance broadly criticized Democrats who he said do not share his values.
He also homed in specifically on two Democratic candidates this fall in Michigan: Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed and Will Lawrence, who is seeking a House seat. Vance seized on Lawrence’s since-deleted social media posts that were critical of the nuclear family.
“I’ve thought a lot, ladies and gentlemen, about what is the birthright of this newest of Americans, my little boy,” Vance told the crowd at American Airlines Center. “And I think about what the Democrats have said about our shared birthright as Americans, or frankly, the lack thereof.”
By the numbers: Vance mentioned Charlie Kirk twice as often as he did Trump in tonight's keynote address
Vance mentioned Charlie Kirk’s name 13 times in his roughly 40-minute keynote address. By comparison, he mentioned Trump's name only six times.
On the first anniversary of Kirk's death, Vance weaved in the conservative activist's name at various points in his speech, with much less name-dropping of his boss.
Trump finishes closing remarks, stays onstage for musical performance
Trump has wrapped up his remarks and has pivoted to sway onstage as opera singer Christopher Macchio sings.
Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Trump spoke for 25 minutes, about an hour and 20 minutes less than he did last night and 16 minutes less than Vance did in his keynote speech this evening.
Trump leads crowd in a pledge to vote in the midterm elections
Trump urged the crowd to join him in a pledge to vote in the midterm elections in November.
"Please raise your right hand," Trump said as he raised his own. "I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the United States that loves us so much, he can’t even breathe."
He then said: "I don’t care if I’m registered or not. I’m going to try and cheat like hell, like they do."
"So we swear that on November 3rd we are going to go out and vote. And you know what? If you want, you can vote Democrat, but I don’t think there’s one person in this room that’s going to vote," Trump said.
He jokingly added: "You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell."
Trump again promises to deliver $5K dividend payments after no mention by Vance
Trump reiterated his pledge tonight that he will give every U.S. adult citizen a $5,000 dividend if Republicans win both the House and the Senate in the midterm elections.
"If we win the midterms, we will, on the other hand, provide a, let’s call it a 'Trump dividend,' $5,000 for every adult citizen in our country, and we can do that because our country has never done better," Trump said, echoing his statement in last night's convention speech.
He brought the proposal back onto the stage after the other speakers tonight avoided the topic, including Vance.
Trump has so far neglected to share details about his proposal.
Trump revisits stump speech in closing remarks for GOP convention
Trump is largely repeating his remarks last night as he closes out the GOP convention.
Trump is touting his accomplishments while claiming he has “delivered on every single promise I made, and I think I delivered on far more.”
There are a number of things he has not delivered on, including cutting energy prices in half, not starting any new wars and ending the Ukraine war within 24 hours of returning to office.
Vance pleads voters to vote red even if they disagree with some policies, linking it to Charlie Kirk's legacy
Vance asked voters to remember Charlie Kirk's appreciation for debate and disagreement tonight in a plea for them to vote Republican in November, even if they aren't on board with certain policies.
"I think Charlie is a great example of how to disagree but still participate in the work of saving this country," Vance said. "I talked to him a lot, almost every day, and Charlie was still a free thinker with his own principles and views. He did not always agree with us."
Vance said Kirk particularly disagreed with the Trump-Vance administration when it came to war, saying, "He just hated war."
"What I’m asking you to do is do what Charlie did. Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater," Vance said. "Don’t give the country over to a bunch of crazy people because you happen to disagree with us on a policy issue here or there."
Vance's plea to voters comes as Trump's approval rating has sunk, particularly because of his handling of the war in Iran.
Upper part of convention arena largely empty as Vance speaks
Caroline Kenny / NBC News
As Vance spoke, the upper section of the arena was virtually empty.
There are just a few people scattered throughout the entire 300 section.
Throughout the rest of the arena, there are also several pockets of empty chairs in sections 100 and 200.
Vance quips at protester he says waved a Mexican flag
Vance interrupted his remarks to point out a protester who he said was waving a Mexican flag inside the convention center.
"What the people at home missed is that we just had a protester interrupting us and waving the Mexican flag," he said in a quick reaction to the protester. "Well, well, my friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there. I’ll buy you the plane ticket."
The crowd erupted as Vance quipped at the alleged protester, who was near the stage, where cameras could easily capture the incident. Vance continued to say that he "had a whole speech written, but I think I got to change it."
"Now, we all know, of course, that as much as that person might wave around a foreign flag, he’d much rather live in Dallas or in Cincinnati or in any one of our great cities than Mexico," Vance said. "But while we wave the American flag and fight for the American dream, we have to remind ourselves tonight that the good life that is the foundation of this country’s promise is not guaranteed."
Relations between Mexico and the Trump administration have been increasingly strained over issues such as trade and immigration.
Vance honors Charlie Kirk on the first anniversary of his death
Vice President JD Vance speaks on the second day of the Republican midterm convention. Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images
Vance recognized Charlie Kirk as he reflected on the anniversary of the conservative activist's assassination.
Vance described tonight as "a somber occasion" because it reminded him of Kirk's presence at his 2024 speech at the Republican National Convention.
"As I addressed the country on the biggest stage of my life, in the front row, right about there, my dear friend Charlie Kirk was smiling and cheering me and reminding me that I had a good friend right here in the convention hall," Vance said.
"And of course, after I was elected vice president of the United States, one year ago today, on September the 10th of last year, that good friend was taken from us when Charlie was assassinated," he said.
First and second ladies absent at convention as their husbands deliver speeches
As Vance jokes about the second lady's not attending this convention, it’s notable that first lady Melania Trump isn’t here, either, despite the president's speaking twice.
Karoline Leavitt reflects on time as White House press secretary and rallies Republicans ahead of midterms
Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke tonight, urging audience members to vote for Republicans in November and telling stories about her time at the White House.
Al Drago / Bloomberg via Getty Images
“It feels good to be back behind a podium,” Leavitt said when she walked onto the stage.
Leavitt, 29, left her job at the White House two weeks ago. She now works for the Trump-affiliated PAC MAGA Inc., which is spending to support Republican candidates in competitive races across the country.
RFK Jr. revives claims against Covid vaccines on convention stage
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tonight brought back his yearslong claims against the safety of Covid-19 vaccines and said the pandemic pushed him to leave the Democratic Party.
"During Covid, I watched the Democratic Party turned against every one of its essential values, its principles and all of the policies that define my party," Kennedy said at the convention. "Democrats turned away from gold standard research and blindly defended industry-sponsored, agenda-driven science written by corrupt and captive regulatory agencies."
Kennedy added that Americans were forced to "wear masks and to submit to invasive and intrusive medical interventions against their own wills," in reference to the Covid-19 vaccine.
Numerous studies have rejected claims like Kennedy's, finding that the Covid-19 vaccine is both safe and effective.
Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht thanks Trump for his 2025 pardon at GOP midterm convention
Ross Ulbricht, creator of the dark web black market known as Silk Road, took the stage at the GOP midterm convention tonight to praise Trump for pardoning him and "hundreds of decent Americans."
"He felt compassion for me because he, too, was a target of a weaponized government," Ulbricht said of Trump. "He said that if the American people sent him back to the White House, he would free me. The day after he took office, he pardoned me."
Trump pardoned Ulbricht in January 2025 after he was sentenced to life in prison for creating a market where users could buy and sell drugs, fake identity documents and other illegal products.
He thanked Trump tonight with tears glistening in his eyes and celebrated the other Americans whom Trump has pardoned from prison sentences. Trump also pardoned more than 1,500 Jan. 6 defendants in January 2025, including those convicted of violent crimes against police.
Ulbricht, whose case had been championed by libertarians, called Trump's pardons "wins for liberty."
Sen. Susan Collins criticizes Trump's $5K dividend proposal
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, today bashed Trump’s proposal to pay all U.S. adults a $5,000 dividend if the Republicans win the House and the Senate this fall.
“From the few details we have, it seems that the proposed $5,000 dividend would not have an income cap and would be extraordinarily costly,” Collins said in a statement.
“Tax and spending decisions should be made based on the needs of the American people and the state of the economy, they should not appear to be tied to election results,” she added.
Collins opted not to attend the GOP convention in Dallas amid her re-election fight against Democratic Senate nominee Troy Jackson.
Rep. Mike Lawler strikes softer tone than other GOP convention speakers
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who represents a district that former Vice President Kamala Harris won in 2024, stood out from other Republican politicians onstage tonight at the GOP midterm convention by appealing to Democrats and independents.
Lawler said he was at the convention to address not fellow Republicans but “commonsense Democrats and Independents across the country, tuning in and still undecided about their vote in November.”
He added that his district, just north of New York City, includes constituents like former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.
“The truth is that the president and I don’t always agree, and that’s OK,” Lawler said about Trump, at one point imitating his voice while recalling a time when they'd clashed.
Trump sidesteps providing details about his proposed $5k dividend payments
Trump gave vague responses tonight when he was asked for further detail about how he would fund or enforce the $5,000 dividend payments he pledged to give all U.S. adult citizens if Republicans win big in November.
Asked by Fox News' Laura Ingraham whether the payments are financially responsible in light of the country's $40 trillion debt, Trump brushed off the concern.
"First of all, the money has to be spent in the United States. We can’t go out and buy things from Germany or, or frankly, Canada or any other place, and therefore it just gets flown right into the system," Trump said. "But much more importantly, we’re going to take care of the 40 trillion over a period of time through growth. We’re growing at a faster rate than we’ve ever grown before."
Trump said he had discussed the proposal with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and insinuated that he would not need congressional approval to make the payments.
"We can do it. There are a lot of people think I don’t even need congressional approval because we’ve made so much money," he said.
Ingraham asked Trump why he would wait to send the money after the election if he has the funds to do it and not just send it to Americans now. Trump again gave a vague response.
"They can’t. I’ll tell you what, because the Democrats can’t do it, because with them it’s negative growth. With, with us it’s so positive," Trump said, adding that the administration is "taking in" trillions of dollars from his tariff policies.
Republicans silent on Trump's proposed $5k dividend on Day 2 of GOP midterm convention
As the second night of the GOP midterm convention nears the start of its fourth hour, Republicans have so far stayed quiet on Trump's promise to give a $5,000 "dividend" to adult U.S. citizens if Republicans win the House and Senate majorities this November.
In his remarks at the first night of the convention, Trump promised he'd provide the dividend payments if Republicans succeed but gave little detail about how he would fund the payments or enforce them.
So far tonight, no Republicans have mentioned the proposal in their remarks on the convention stage.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, seemed to suggest that the president doesn't have the authority to make that promise on his own, writing in a post last night that he would introduce legislation on it.
“I will get a bill ready so that we can get the Trump Dividend passed immediately after the November 3rd election ... because Republicans (and America) will win!” Moreno wrote on X.
Trump rejected that notion in an interview with KTVT in Dallas today, saying he did not believe Congress would need to approve the proposal. However, he said he does think Congress would back it if he did require their approval.
Mike Johnson jokes about Trump running for Congress
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., joked at the GOP convention that perhaps Trump will run for Congress after he serves as president.
Johnson was telling the audience about a brass plate honoring John Quincy Adams in the Capitol.
“He’s the only person in the history of the United States who ran for the House after serving as president. Maybe our current president would do that,” Johnson joked.
In his overall remarks, Johnson made the case for voters to support the GOP in November, arguing that the midterms would be “a contrast between common sense and crazy.” Johnson cast Democrats as radicals, characterizing the elections as a fight of “extreme versus mainstream.”
Sen. Ted Cruz paints midterms as a battle against 'communists and Islamists'
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said tonight that midterm voters face a "dangerous" alliance on the other side of the aisle.
"We are witnessing a new and dangerous red-green alliance: communists and Islamists coming together and sweeping over the Democrat Party. They are united because they share the same enemies," Cruz said at the GOP midterm convention. "They hate capitalism. They hate the Constitution, and they hate America."
Cruz also urged Republicans to "save America" from Sharia law.
No Democratic candidates are advocating for Sharia law in their campaigns.
Vance to reflect on fatherhood and Charlie Kirk in tonight's speech
A person familiar with Vance’s prepared remarks for this evening told NBC News that he will reflect on the recent birth of his fourth child, as well as the death one year ago today of his friend and close ally, conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Also look for Vance, as he did at the 2024 Republican National Convention, to weave his personal backstory into a pitch for conservative populist policies. This time the pitch is expected to be more forward-looking and rooted in fatherhood.
Prosecutor who led ‘grand conspiracy’ probe of Trump targets resigns without charging anyone
Joe diGenova, the 81-year-old Trump loyalist who had headed a sprawling investigation in the Southern District of Florida that targeted Trump's perceived political enemies, has resigned from the Justice Department.
His probes have not produced any prosecutions.
Trump’s $5,000 promise: Familiar, costly and ‘fundamentally unserious’
Seeking to rescue the Republican Party’s declining prospects in the 2026 elections, Trump made a familiar promise yesterday: The government will send payments directly to Americans.
His pledges last year to deliver cash to Americans with “DOGE” savings and tariff revenues were never fulfilled. This time, Trump added an unusual condition: The money will go out only if Republicans keep control of the Senate and the House.
RNC chair downplays Trump's low approval ratings, says his policies are 'a winner long term'
Joe Gruters, chair of the Republican National Committee, rejected the notion that Trump's low approval ratings could weigh on any Republican candidates who campaign with him ahead of the midterm elections.
"If the polling was right, he never would have been president. I think what you see here, the fact that we could draw millions of viewers and the fact that we could load a stadium in the middle of August, in the middle of the week, I think that proves that the base still loves the president," Gruters said.
He added that “embracing the president’s policies is a winner long term” for Republican congressional candidates and that he thinks "it will lead us to victory."
Asked how the party will get voters out to the polls who sit out races when Trump is not on the ballot, Gruters said Republicans “have to do things differently.”
“That’s why we’re doing the conventions. Never been done before. Why do it? Why waste the money? How do you get the message out?" Gruters said. "That’s what I always hear. Republicans have to do a better job getting the message out. The best way to get the message out is through an event like this."
Gruters also referred to Trump's pledge to get out on the campaign trail with candidates in 35 races ahead of November.
"We’re mapping out where we’re going. We’re going to have 35-plus rallies in all these competitive districts," Gruters said. "Then we’re going to have tele-town halls and all these other events that are going to be focused on driving turnout."
Texas Democrat warns of GOP attacks on Islam at Dallas counter-programming event
Texas state Rep. Salman Bhojani today condemned what he described as a "pattern" of escalating attacks against Muslims in his state.
During a press conference with fellow Democratic lawmakers, held as counter-programming to the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Bhojani criticized the Texas Board of Education's recent decision to implement a new anti-Islam curriculum in high schools.
“Instead of teaching the contributions that Muslim scholars made to medicine, mathematics, and science-contributions that shaped human progress for centuries, those contributions are being erased," Bhojani said. "In their place, it’s one-sided, distorted portrayals of Islamic history that are being implemented.”
Bhojani said this attack on Islam "isn't an isolated incident."
"As a state representative and as a Muslim, I’ve watched a pattern resurfacing since early last year," he said. "I watched the state investigate a Muslim community housing development. I’ve watched the governor label a Muslim civil rights organization as a terrorist organization."
Bhojani referenced an investigation launched by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in February after several state officials accused two companies of marketing a new development to Muslims, calling it religious discrimination. He also made reference to Gov. Greg Abbott's move to designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy organization, as a foreign terrorist organization.
Bhojani's denouncement of those actions comes as some Muslim candidates have been the target of disparaging rhetoric as the midterms draw near.
Trump has repeatedly used the term “jihadist" to describe Democrats in recent weeks, particularly after Abdul El-Sayed's victory in the Democratic primary for a Senate seat in Michigan, while Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has called El-Sayed a “terrorist” and a “radical Islamist."
Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, made similar remarks about El-Sayed last night during the GOP midterm convention.
Hillary Clinton warns the U.S. has let its guard down on terrorism 25 years after 9/11
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned today that the Trump administration isn’t doing enough to monitor and thwart terrorists who still pose a threat to the U.S., 25 years after the 9/11 attacks.
“I worry a lot that we’ve let down our guard on counterterrorism, and I don’t say this to scare anybody or to exaggerate, but I think we are not paying enough attention to resurgent terrorist actions,” Clinton said in an interview with NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell at the VOICES 25th Anniversary Symposium, an event reflecting on the attacks.
NBC News
One year after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, a memorial will be held by Turning Point USA at Utah Valley University.
Vance calls on battleground state Republicans to ‘nationalize’ the midterms
Vice President JD Vance urged Republicans from several battleground states today to “nationalize” their midterm elections this fall.
“We have two things that we’ve got to do in order to win these midterm elections,” Vance said during remarks at a private breakfast here with GOP leaders and activists from Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to audio obtained by NBC News from a person who was in the room.
Brandon Bell / Getty Images
El-Sayed launches online game attacking Rogers in Michigan Senate race
The campaign of Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for Senate in Michigan, has published an online arcade game attacking his opponent, GOP nominee Mike Rogers.
In “Come Home, Mike,” players aim to direct the former representative — shown aboard a yacht — back to Michigan from Florida.
El-Sayed and Michigan Democrats have criticized Rogers for purchasing a house in Florida in 2022, several years after he stopped representing Michigan in the House.
El-Sayed's game directs players to answer three questions on Rogers' policy positions in order to move his yacht forward, including on the cost of prescription drugs, Trump’s trade wars and the war with Iran. At the end of the game, Rogers reaches not Michigan, but Dallas, where the GOP midterm convention is being held.
“Mike Rogers isn’t in Michigan,” the message reads. “He’s in Dallas today, at Donald Trump’s Republican midterm convention. Once again, Mike Rogers went where Donald Trump told him to go and did what Donald Trump wanted, instead of coming to Michigan and doing what voters want.”
Alyssa Brouillet, a spokesperson for the Rogers campaign, responded by alluding to a rental property in Dubai that El-Sayed listed in a 2025 financial disclosure form.
“Abdul El-Sayed must’ve felt inspired on his latest trip back from his home in Dubai. While he plays games, we’ll keep talking to Michiganders. We’ve got a state to save,” Brouillet said.
El-Sayed's game comes shortly after the White House launched a MAGA-themed "Build the Wall" game on its website, which it later took down due to potential copyright infringement.
CIA officer’s arrest with 303 gold bars thrusts the Pentagon’s No. 2 into an unwelcome spotlight
The Defense Department’s powerful second in command does not seek out the spotlight. But recently, Steve Feinberg has found himself entangled in the unusual and very public case of an arrested CIA officer found with $40 million worth of gold bars stored at his home.
The deputy defense secretary, a 66-year-old private equity titan, has a keen interest in military intelligence — he left his financial firm last year to join the Defense Department. He has been described as “reclusive” and insular. He has been a major Republican donor for years, he has relationships with many U.S. leaders, and he prefers to work behind the scenes.
Stephen Feinberg. Tom Williams / CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images
Rep. Madeleine Dean criticizes Fetterman's video appearance at the Republican convention
Rep. Madeleine Dean, D-Pa., criticized Sen. John Fetterman for his appearance at the Republican convention to introduce Pennsylvania's other senator, Republican Dave McCormick.
"I know and I like John Fetterman, but he lost me last night with that stunt," she said in a C-SPAN interview this morning. "He, like me, should be talking about, how do we make life more affordable for Americans? How do we make sure that the gas prices go down as a result of ending this reckless, chaotic, incoherent war? How do we end the trade war with Canada and other allies?"
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Asked whether she believed Fetterman should leave the Democratic Party, Dean said, "I don't care one way or another."
"What it’s time for him to do is represent Pennsylvania the way he ran, with the values that he ran on," she said.
She explained how she had gotten to know and like Fetterman, adding, "Sadly, the work that he is doing now as senator does not reflect those same values."
"It'll be up to John whether or not he changes parties," she said.
Fetterman made a surprise video appearance last night, praising McCormick as "the kind of senator that gets the job done" and saying he would work with Trump "to fight and defend the steel way of life."
Later, Fetterman said in a statement that he and McCormick "are in different parties, but we are both Team PA." He also said that if Democrats retake the Senate, "I will still be the 51st vote that I ran on."
Hillary Clinton says public was 'lied to by our federal government' about air quality after 9/11
Hillary Clinton said today that the Bush administration wasn't honest about the poor air quality in Manhattan after 9/11.
“We were lied to by our federal government because they didn’t want to scare people off from going back to work, and I understand that. But I think you should level with people, and you can tell people, 'Look, the air is dangerous,'" she said in remarks at Borough of Manhattan Community College at an event commemorating the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
“We have been living with the aftermath of those terrible, terrible lies, and now we know more as the city has released 170,000 pages of city records" about the air quality from the aftermath, she said.
Clinton was referring to the documents released earlier this week that revealed city officials knew of the potential environmental dangers associated with the air.
Clinton, who at the time was a U.S. senator from New York, said that she worked with her congressional colleagues to introduce legislation to begin the process of providing healthcare to first responders.
In an op-ed published in The Atlantic today, Clinton wrote about the government not conveying the truth about the air.
"After the attacks, it was clear that the information about air quality coming from the Environmental Protection Agency did not square with what New Yorkers were experiencing," she said. "If the Bush administration wouldn’t level with people about what was really going on, then Congress needed to establish the facts and press for action and accountability."
Trump announces $500 checks for nearly 1 million Americans
Trump announced $500 refund checks for nearly 1 million Americans for what he said were overcharges related to Obamacare.
"Nearly 1 million hardworking Americans in 30 states will soon be getting refunds of $500 each with a check sent to their home address," he said in a video posted to X. "In many cases, these refunds will cover the entire spike in your insurance caused by Democrats, who solely work to protect big insurance companies."
Trump claimed that the Biden administration overcharged people for healthcare coverage, but he did not provide evidence.
“The last administration knew about this and they studied it, but they kept the money. They just kept it,” the president claimed in the video, without providing evidence. “They never let anyone know. Our administration is doing the right thing and giving the money back to the people who were wrongly ripped off.”
The checks will be sent "beginning in October 2026," the White House fact sheet said. That timing could mean checks are sent shortly before midterm elections, when Democrats are aiming to retake Congress.
The money would go to Americans who do not receive premium assistance for Affordable Care Act plans, according to a White House fact sheet, which also noted that the checks would go out "in the 30 states that use the federal exchange for the operations of their Obamacare markets."
Former Biden White House spokesperson Andrew Bates criticized the plan.
“$500 would not even begin to cover the unprecedented increase in health care costs Donald Trump and congressional Republicans forced on American families when they made the biggest Medicaid and Affordable Care Act cuts in history in order to lower taxes for billionaires and insurance companies,” he said.
Just one day earlier, Trump said he would send $5,000 dividend payments to every U.S. adult if Republicans win the House and the Senate this fall. That effort would cost more than $1 trillion. Trump has previously proposed other direct payments to Americans, but most of those proposals have not come to fruition.
Jimmy Kimmel says show won’t air James Talarico interview on TV, citing FCC threats
Jimmy Kimmel announced last night that his show would not air his upcoming interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico on television, citing the Trump administration’s threats against ABC.
Kimmel said that during Trump’s administration, the Federal Communications Commission “has threatened me, threatened our show, threatened our network, ABC, our affiliates, our local stations, based on simple, traditional editorial decisions, guest bookings it would seem they don’t like.”
Getty Images; ABC
Supreme Court blocks Missouri’s attempt to use newly drawn Republican congressional map
The Supreme Court today blocked an attempt by a Republican state official in Missouri to use a newly drawn GOP congressional map for this year’s election.
The court, in a brief order with no noted dissents, granted an emergency request brought by a group called People Not Politicians, led by activist Richard von Glahn.
Hillary Clinton pans GOP midterm convention, predicts Democratic takeover of Congress
Hillary Clinton panned the GOP midterm convention in the "Morning Joe" interview, saying that it actually helps Democrats' chances in November.
“I thought the whole Republican mini convention and Trump’s speech was, you know, making the case for the Democrats. I think it actually helps us," she said.
Clinton argued that it allows voters to see the contrast between the Trump administration's record and the potential for change from Democrats.
"I am very confident we’re going to take back the House, and I’m increasingly confident we’re going to take the Senate because I think the American people, even people who wanted to give Trump a chance, even people who voted for Trump, they didn’t vote for what’s happening now," she said.
Trump claims GOP convention was 'sold out' despite hundreds of empty seats in arena
Trump claimed on Truth Social this morning that the GOP midterm convention in Dallas was "a major, sold out hit" even though there were hundreds of vacant seats in the arena.
"It was really something, streaming all over the place, and really big numbers, despite going up against the NFL. The overall numbers beat the NFL. The Arena, which was really nice, beat its own attendance records," Trump said, adding, "There were thousands of people outside who couldn’t get in. Screens were provided."
Empty seats during Trump's speech yesterday in Dallas. Brandon Bell / Getty Images
There were hundreds of empty seats, however, throughout the upper levels of the American Airlines Center, which seats about 19,000. Hundreds of state delegates were seated on the floor of the arena, with other guests in the general seating areas.
The NFL's viewership numbers from last night are also not yet available.
Hillary Clinton compares lessons of 9/11 to warnings about AI consequences
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton argued this morning that the U.S. should remember the lessons learned from 9/11 and take seriously the warnings about AI.
Clinton said in an interview on MS NOW's "Morning Joe" that the "most dramatic statement" that came out of the 9/11 Commission report "was that it was a failure of imagination."
"That is what we’re facing with AI," she said. "The alarm bells are sounding. People from within the industry. ... Let’s learn the lesson of 9/11, there was a failure of imagination."
Clinton continued, "People could not imagine that a bunch of guys would go learn how to fly and fly commercial airliners into buildings, and now we’re facing the same thing. And we faced it during Covid — there was a failure of imagination, a failure of honesty. Now we are facing it with artificial intelligence.”
The former first lady's comments come as people within the AI industry are issuing warnings about the technology potentially ending humanity.
Military personnel accidentally triggered Air Force One emergency slide ahead of Trump’s flight to Dallas
Military personnel accidentally triggered an inflatable slide attached to Trump’s Qatari-donated Air Force One plane yesterday, a person briefed on the matter told NBC News.
The slide inflated just before Trump was set to board the plane and head to Dallas for the GOP midterm convention. Instead of immediately exiting Marine One to board the plane as he usually does, Trump remained on the helicopter for several minutes.
He eventually walked out on the tarmac while officials looked at the slide, telling reporters that they were just “checking the slide.”
“As the President has said, the slide was checked out to make sure everything works perfectly,” White House communications director Steven Cheung said later in a statement. “Air Force One is on its way to Dallas so he can deliver his much-anticipated speech to a raucous and sold-out crowd.”
Trump claims, with little detail, that U.S. adults will get $5K if Republicans win the midterms
The president said last night that every adult U.S. citizen would receive a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans win both the House and the Senate in November.
“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, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” he said.
Trump, who has made a similar promise before, added that the “only condition” is that it must be spent in the U.S.
“We don’t want you going to Canada to spend the money. We don’t want you going to China to Germany,” Trump said. “You got to spend the money in the United States of America.”
Trump added that he would call it “the Trump dividend.”
“So if the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump said as the crowd cheered.
The White House did not immediately respond to questions about where the estimated $1.35 trillion would come from and how the requirement to spend in the U.S. could be enforced.
After Trump’s remarks, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, appeared to suggest that the president doesn’t have the authority to unilaterally disburse the proposed dividend by saying he would introduce legislation on it.
“I will get a bill ready so that we can get the Trump Dividend passed immediately after the November 3rd election … because Republicans (and America) will win!” Moreno wrote on X.
Bernie Sanders-endorsed challenger defeats Providence mayor in a Democratic primary
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley lost his Democratic primary last night, NBC News projects, with Rhode Island state Rep. David Morales, a Bernie Sanders-endorsed democratic socialist, prevailing.
Morales tapped into the progressive energy that has fueled a slew of challenges to incumbents this election cycle up and down the ballot. His platform included proposals to cap rent hikes, expand affordable housing and increase taxes on polluters and corporate landlords.
Trump says the Iran war will end after Election Day
Trump tried to turn one of his biggest political vulnerabilities into a strength for Republicans in Dallas last night, making the war with Iran a key focus of his speech at the party’s midterm convention.
“Does anybody here think that Iran should have a nuclear weapon? Anybody?” Trump asked the crowd at American Airlines Center, articulating the administration’s core argument for attacking Iran.
The audience responded loudly and decisively: “No!”
Trump also repeated a claim he made to reporters earlier in the day.
“The war will be over very shortly after the election,” he said. “They’re hanging out for dear life, hoping that we lose, so they can deal with dumb, weak Democrats and they can have their nuclear bomb. But we’re not going to let that happen.”
Sen. John Fetterman makes a surprise cameo praising Republicans at the GOP convention
Just eight weeks out from the midterm elections, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., gave Republicans a boost last night.
Fetterman appeared on video at the Republican midterm convention, praising Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., and touting working with Trump.
“Yes, I’m a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I’m a commonsense Democrat,” Fetterman said in the video message. “I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and the anti-American way of life. Dave McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done, and he’s going to fight for Pennsylvania. I’m proud to count him as my friend.”
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee loses Democratic primary to businesswoman Helena Foulkes
Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has lost his Democratic primary to former CVS executive Helena Foulkes, NBC News projects, after having faced a significant spending disadvantage and voter discontent with his tenure.
In an election season that has seen a wave of anti-incumbent energy, McKee, 75, becomes the first governor to fall in a primary this year — and the first in eight years.
Public polling had shown McKee, who was running for a full second term, trailing by double digits heading into Tuesday. And Foulkes, 62, outspent him on the airwaves by 3-to-1, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact.
‘I’m on the ballot’: Trump tries to energize his base by placing himself front and center
Trump wants to make one thing clear: His name is not on the ballot in November, but his supporters need to vote like it is.
Republicans from across the country convened in Dallas yesterday for their party’s first midterm convention, an event designed to put Trump front and center in the closing stages of the midterm election cycle.
“Pretend that I am on the ballot,” Trump said to loud cheers during his keynote address last night. “I’m on the ballot.”
Indeed, Trump was the star of the show. Speakers mentioned his name 155 times, and Trump invoked his own name 16 times, bringing the total mentions to 171. The only other word mentioned more was variations of “America.”
Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
