Did Trump just try to bribe American voters?

Jon Sopel (0:02)

This is a Global Production. I don't understand much about democracy, but broadly speaking, I don't think you're allowed to bribe people. Vote for the Republicans, get them re-elected, and I'll give you five grand each.

Emily Maitlis (0:14)

It's a bit like an old man with a sweetie covered in lint, going up to a small child and saying, would you like a sweetie?

Jon Sopel (0:22)

That will cost one trillion dollars.

Donald Trump (0:26)

And 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, like in history we've never had anything like what's happening, but because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.

Jon Sopel (1:02)

Well, there's nothing or done, ethical or wrong about that, is there? Vote for me, get the Republicans returned, and I'll give you $5,000.

Emily Maitlis (1:11)

It's definitely not constitutional. It's definitely not legal.

But could it work anyway to help them get across the midterms? Welcome to The News Agents.

SPEAKER_4 (1:27)

The News Agents.

Jon Sopel (1:28)

It's Jon.

Emily Maitlis (1:29)

It's Maitlis.

Jon Sopel (1:31)

Well, what do you start? I mean, I think I'm right in saying, I don't understand much about democracy, but broadly speaking, I don't think you're allowed to bribe people. I'm not sure how many people heard Donald Trump say that live because his speech went on for nearly two hours. And so you would have to have some endurance and kind of indefatigability to be able to last a whole Trump speech at a rally or a convention, whatever it was, in Dallas last night. But in the course of which, he did say more or less in terms, vote for the Republicans, get them re-elected and I'll give you five grand each.

Emily Maitlis (2:09)

Yeah. Let us put this in context. So there is never normally a midterm convention. That isn't a thing. It doesn't exist. This time, Trump has decided that he needs to be on the ballot, even though he isn't. So he's turning up in Dallas, where there is a very fierce senatorial race going on. He's tried to get all his Republican friends and those who are contesting the midterm elections to come along, and none of them really want to be there. So in their absence, he's basically had to go on stage and make all the speeches himself. And I think one sign of desperation came a couple of days ago when he was offering people free seats, free tickets to his convention, you know, his little text, if you get a text on your phone, you can turn up free to my convention. And the second bombshell came last night, when in the middle of this one hour 40 speech, he suddenly offered to give every adult $5,000 if he wins the midterms.

So let's just pull that apart for a moment. What does it mean to win the midterms? Obviously, he's not on the ballot, so it's not about re-electing him as president or anything else. He's saying if the Republicans can maintain the House and the Senate, the two House of Congress, then that is a win.

And he will give everyone $5,000.

Who's $5,000? Is he giving?

Jon Sopel (3:42)

Emily, you're just being pedantic for now.

Emily Maitlis (3:44)

Who's $5,000?

Geez. Is that taxpayer money? Yeah. Is that more debt?

Jon Sopel (3:50)

Yeah.

Emily Maitlis (3:50)

Of $40 trillion? Do we know where this comes from?

Jon Sopel (3:55)

No.

Emily Maitlis (3:55)

It's not going to happen. So we can all kind of calm down about the fact that the money is definitely not going to change hands. We know that because he's already done this before. Do you remember when he was talking about Doge clearing out all the sort of bureaucracy from government and he said, Oh, I'll give everyone $5,000 as a benefit then. So it's a bit like an old man with a sweetie covered in lint, going up to a small child and saying, you know, here you are, would you like a sweetie covered in lint?

It's not actually going to lead, I don't think, to the right place at all. But if people hear it and if people associate Trump with becoming richer, does it work on a subliminal level anyway?

Jon Sopel (4:39)

Well, that's the interesting bit. Let's deal with the actual mechanics of what he said and the practicalities surrounding it. And take that seriously for a minute. That he is saying, I will give every American adult $5,000. And you just need to ring up the cash machine, sound effect there and say, that will cost $1 trillion.