[Anchor]
As the U.S. midterm elections approach, U.S. President Donald Trump, bogged down by the major unfavorable issue of the war with Iran, has made a high-stakes gamble. He pledged that if the party wins the election, he will give 5,000 U.S. dollars—about 6.7 million won in Korean currency—to every adult.
Correspondent Jeon Byeong-nam visited the site of the Republican convention.
[Reporter]
Texas, the heart of American conservatism.
The very first Republican convention for a midterm election was held at an arena with a capacity of 20,000 people.
[Joe / Texas Resident: If you are from Texas, you will understand this. It's 'God, family, football, and Donald Trump.' Trump is restoring all our values that had been fading away for years.]
With the prolonged war with Iran and rising prices including oil, President Trump's approval rating has hit a second-term low of 33 percent. Even in Texas, the Republican Senate candidate is seeing their seat threatened by the Democratic candidate.
This atmosphere was palpable at the convention venue as well.
President Trump's speech is less than 10 minutes away.
Trump said that a massive crowd would turn out and tickets were sold out, but as you can see, there are many empty seats like this.
Heading to Texas, Trump claimed that 'the Iran war will end right after the midterms because Iran cannot hold out much longer.' During his convention speech, however, he brought up the need to bomb the nuclear facility known as 'Pickaxe Mountain.'
[Donald Trump / U.S. President: We know that some (nuclear-related) movement was detected at 'Pickaxe Mountain.' I advise Iran not to play any foolish games. Otherwise, we will hit them very hard.]
Seeming desperate about the election landscape, he also announced that if Republicans win both the Senate and the House, he will give 5,000 dollars—about 6.7 million won in Korean currency—to every American adult.
[Donald Trump / U.S. President: This is made possible thanks to our immense economic strength and success. It will be called the 'Trump Dividend.']
The New York Times pointed out that it is a "one-trillion-dollar impromptu promise" and could "spark legal issues."
This is about a five-minute drive from the Republican convention site.
Here, Democratic candidate Talarico, who is locked in an ultra-tight race for the Senate seat against Republican candidate Paxton, is holding a charity event.
[Rory / Dallas Resident: It's kind of a counter-rally, I suppose. But it means that instead of holding a protest, we are going to use our energy to do something good and positive.]
Trump is set to deliver the closing speech at the convention tomorrow (the 11th), and Democrats have announced plans for a counter-rally nearby.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
(Reported by Jeon Byeong-nam | Video by Oh Jung-shik | Video Editing by Kim Byung-jik | Design by Hwang Se-yeon)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.