Paul DyerUpdated September 10, 2026 — 12:44pm,first published September 10, 2026 — 6:03amWatch live: Trump speaks at Republican midterm conventionBy Hello and welcome to our coverage of the first-ever Republican midterm convention, taking place over two nights in Dallas, Texas.Latest Posts12.44pmTrump lashes idea of slavery reparations By Michael KoziolHaving dangled the lure of a $US5000 “dividend” for voting Republican, we are now on to criticising the Democrats – particularly the left-wing progressive Democrats who have been succeeding in several party primaries.One of the “radical” policies Trump condemns is the idea of paying reparations for historical injustices such as slavery.Trump supporters wave as the president’s speech continues. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin“They want to steal your money for reparations,” Trump says. “Our country doesn’t have that kind of money. They have the money for [the] $5000 [payment], but they don’t have that kind of money.”The US national debt recently blasted through $US40 trillion. Based on an estimated voting-age population of 268 million, Trump’s pledge could cost some $US1.3 trillion if everyone took it up.“Vote buying” is, however, illegal under US federal law, which states that anyone offering expenditure “to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote … for or against any candidate” should face a fine or imprisonment for up to two years, or both.12.20pmTrump offers $5000 to every American adult if Republicans win midtermsBy Michael KoziolTrump has just made an outlandish promise to pay $US5000 to every adult American citizen if the Republicans win both the House of Representatives and the Senate.“It’s $5000 to every adult,” he says. “The only caveat I have is the dividend that we’re making must be spent in the United States of America.Trump’s pledge came with the proviso the money must be spent in the United States.AP“We don’t want you going to Canada to spend the money. We don’t want you going to China, to Germany.“If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5000. It will be called the Trump dividend.”It was not immediately clear how this gift would work or how the condition would be enforced. Trump said it was possible because of the money the US was making from tariffs.Last month, the US national debt hit a record $US40 trillion.12.10pmInterest in Trump slumps on YouTubeBy As of about 30 minutes into Trump’s remarks, only some 3500 viewers were streaming his speech live on the Republican National Committee’s YouTube page and about 2600 on the midterm convention’s official channel. About 6300 were watching on the Fox News YouTube channel.Trump speaks to the convention.AP Photo/Julio CortezAll told, they are relatively modest figures for the president, whose 2024 campaign rallies would regularly attract tens of thousands of concurrent viewers on some streams.Among the major news networks, only Fox News is carrying Trump’s speech in its entirety. The broadcast networks have stuck with regular programming, including NFL Football on NBC.CNN featured about 15 minutes of Trump’s remarks before cutting away to a panel, as reporters offered commentary on the speech with on-screen text annotations.AP12.00pmCrowd boos Republican leader John ThuneBy Michael KoziolThe MAGA crowd here in Dallas loudly boos when Trump shouts out Republican Senate leader John Thune, who is here in the audience.Thune is disliked for his failure to rally enough votes to get the SAVE Act through the Senate – the election legislation which would ban mail-in voting (except in certain circumstances) and require all voters to show photo ID.It is a bill Trump has championed all year, and he himself has been cautiously critical of Thune at times.Trump attempted to get the crowd to stop booing. “No, no. John is working hard,” he says.“He’s got great opposition from the Democrats – [Chuck] Schumer and these guys, they’re terrible.”But it shows the ongoing divide in the Republican Party base between Trump’s MAGA base and those it deems not to be sufficiently loyal.11.49amA vintage Trump ‘routine’By Michael KoziolThis is a vintage Trump rally speech so far. The president is in his element, doling out the greatest hits, while also going meta and breaking the fourth wall.He calls this performance a “routine”, saying it’s more difficult than delivering the State of the Union, which just puts everyone to sleep.He also refers to his mantra of “no men in women’s sports” as “one of our great soundbites of all time”, and says he fears the Democrats will change their position and rob the Republicans of a strong policy.Trump addresses the convention crowd.APThe arena might not be 100 per cent full, but this loyal MAGA crowd is lapping up every word, as you would expect. They even cheer for renaming the neighbouring state of New Mexico to “New America” – one of Trump’s latest thought bubbles.And he repeats his pitch to rename the Strait of Hormuz as “Trump Strait”.“I should get something out of this,” he says.11.31amStill plenty of empty seats as Trump claims the venue is ‘packed’By Michael KoziolDallas: Trump says the arena is “packed”, which I can tell you is not the case. There are plenty of empty seats, especially in the upper section.Even the middle section has a lot of spare spaces. If there is a large throng of people outside, as Trump claims, they might as well just let them in.Trump talks.APTrump acknowledges that the party occupying the White House usually doesn’t do well at the midterms, even if the president is great, and “no one knows why”.And he promises to be an extremely prominent part of the election campaign, travelling to every close House of Representatives or Senate race in the country, perhaps more than once.That is about 35 contests, he says, including Texas, where the Senate race is very competitive. “You’ll say get this guy out of here, get him out,” Trump says.11.20amTrump on stage after musical interludeBy Michael KoziolDonald Trump has taken to the stage in Dallas following a rousing rendition of God Bless the USA – his rally theme song – sung by Lee Greenwood himself.He notes it is the first time either party has held a midterm election convention – they are usually held every four years, ahead of the presidential election.US President Donald Trump on stage.APThere’s an obligatory shoutout to the “great state of Texas”, which Trump notes he won all three times with the “highest vote in the history of Texas politics”.This is not true in proportional terms – George Bush got a higher share of the Texas vote in 2004. So did Mitt Romney in 2012.10.44amWhy this convention is an opportunity for Republicans to ‘reset the debate’By Michael KoziolA little while ago I asked the Republican congressman from New York, Mike Lawler, whether this special convention was itself an admission that the Republican Party was in trouble at these midterm elections.No, was his answer, but he said it gave the party an opportunity to “reset the debate”. A moderate Republican, Lawler sometimes differs from Trump, and his seat is regarded by some Democrats as ripe for the taking.New York Representative Michael Lawler.Bloomberg“If you look at the map, the map favours Republicans,” he said.“Second of all, what is it that the Democrats are running on? If I ask anybody here, can you tell me what Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer’s platform is for taking back the majority? Not one of you could answer it other than: they hate Trump.“If I ask you what the DSA [Democratic Socialists of America] platform [is], you could easily rattle off at least 10 things. Why? Because that’s the mainstream platform of the Democratic Party these days. That’s where their voters are, that’s where their base of support is. And that’s why they’re all petrified in these primaries.“[The convention] is an opportunity to reset the debate and the discussion with two months to go, and show the American people what the choice is. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”10.16am‘Front and centre’: It’s Trump, Trump and more Trump in DallasBy Jill ColvinDallas: Normal political conventions are held every four years and serve a purpose beyond pomp and circumstance, with parties formally nominating their presidential picks.This week’s convention, by contrast, is The Trump Show, through and through.A person carries a Trump doll at the convention.AP“Do we love President Trump?” Republican national committee chair Joe Gruters, one of the first speakers, asked the crowd.The walls of the basketball arena, where the Dallas Mavericks play, were covered with photographs of Trump, even in the elevators. Plenty of attendees wore cowboy hats and boots, as well as “Make America Great Again” and American flag caps and other gear.9.55amTrump ally Loomer slams those who skipped the conventionBy Far-right provocateur Laura Loomer is among those attending the convention and she has a message for Republicans who skipped the president’s convention: Be more grateful.The Trump ally, who has drawn attention with her often caustic online commentary, has harsh words for those who aren’t in Dallas.MAGA influencer Laura Loomer.Greg Kahn/The New York Times“If you’re not going to show up to support the president so he can carry your sorry ass across the finish line due to a lack of enthusiasm, you better hope that the voters feel enthusiastic about showing up to vote for you,” she said.1 of 3