Crosswire — September 11, 2026
DAILY BRIEFING — September 11, 2026
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GEOPOLITICS
Trump's $5,000 Pledge: Campaign Theater or Vote-Buying?
What happened: At the GOP's first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, Trump promised $5,000 to every American adult if Republicans hold both chambers in November — with the condition the money be spent domestically. No funding mechanism, no legislative text. VP Vance floated tariff revenue as the source, but tariff and excise receipts since early 2025 total roughly $475bn, and over $100bn of that was refunded after the Supreme Court struck down many of the tariffs. The pledge would cost…
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