Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz mocked President Donald Trump after he led a mock pledge at the Republican Party’s midterm convention telling attendees to “cheat like hell” and vote regardless of registration status. Walz’s post on X responded to a Reuters post summarizing the remarks.
Walz: “Cheat Like Hell Is the Trump Family Motto”
“Cheat like hell is the Trump family motto,” Walz wrote.
Trump Closed Dallas Convention With Mock Voting Pledge
Trump and the Republican Party wrapped up an unusual two-day convention in Dallas on Sept. 10, which Reuters described as a gamble that a high-profile show of party unity would energize supporters and help Republicans defy historical midterm losses. Closing the event, Trump asked the crowd to raise their right hands and pledge to vote on Nov. 3 “whether registered or not,” telling them, “I’m gonna try and cheat like hell like they do,” a reference to unsubstantiated claims he has long made about Democratic voter fraud.
Convention Focused Heavily on Attacking Democrats
Though the Republican National Committee had billed the event as a chance to highlight Trump’s policy successes, Reuters reported that Trump and other speakers spent most of their time attacking Democrats as left-wing extremists. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent accused Democrats of wanting to turn the country into a “socialist hellscape.”
Trump Said Affordability Concerns Were “Exaggerated” Despite Economic Data
The convention took place amid what Reuters described as growing unhappiness over Trump’s handling of the economy and his inability to lower gas and grocery prices. Trump told the crowd the word “affordable” was “fake” and blamed Democrats for high prices, saying, “I’m bringing prices way down.” The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ official August CPI report, released the day after the convention concluded, found the opposite trend: the Consumer Price Index rose 0.4% for the month and 3.4% over the prior year, with gasoline prices up 3.9% in August alone and 27.4% higher than a year earlier, accounting for more than a third of the month’s overall increase. Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, held at 2.4% annually, closer to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, while overall inflation remained well above it. Trump and other speakers also touted his 2025 tax cuts and drug-price reduction efforts.
Trump Proposed a $5,000 “Dividend” Contingent on GOP Retaining Congress
Trump used his speech to promise every American adult a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans maintain control of both congressional chambers in November. Independent estimates put the total cost at more than $1.2 trillion — roughly eight times the $154.5 billion in tariff revenue the U.S. collected during the first 10 months of fiscal 2026. No legislation implementing the proposal had been introduced as of the convention, and the plan has not been evaluated by the Congressional Budget Office or any independent budget office.
Proposal Drew Bipartisan Skepticism, Including From Trump’s Own Party
The plan drew immediate pushback from lawmakers in both parties. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, was among the first Republicans to publicly question the math behind the proposal. Vice President JD Vance later narrowed the plan, suggesting wealthy Americans would not qualify and that payments could be financed by tariff revenue. Asked by ABC News on the tarmac afterward whether the payment amounted to a turnout incentive, Trump said, “I didn’t do it for turning out the vote, I did it as a reward for people having to put up with five years, four years of horrible situation caused by Biden.”
Trump Also Predicted the Iran War Would End “Right After Election Day”
Trump told the crowd oil prices would drop “as soon as we win the war with Iran,” which he predicted would end “right after Election Day,” Nov. 3. Reuters noted the conflict, which began when the U.S. and Israel struck Iran in late February, had shown little sign of ending through either military pressure or diplomatic negotiation as of the convention.
Vance Delivered a Keynote Widely Seen as an Early 2028 Signal
Vance delivered the convention’s closing keynote before Trump, emphasizing themes of family, faith and children’s futures more than Trump typically does, and was greeted by chants of “48, 48,” a reference to potentially becoming the 48th president. “We got to take care of business this November, then we’ll worry about what comes next,” Vance said. Trump later told reporters Vance “did very well” and was “a very talented guy.”
Trump Told Supporters to “Pretend” He Was on the Ballot
Aware that MAGA-aligned voters have historically turned out less reliably in elections where Trump is not a candidate, Trump told the Dallas crowd, “Pretend that I’m on the ballot.” Reuters noted this strategy carries risk, since Democratic strategists see Trump’s decision to center the campaign on himself as helping their effort to frame the election as a referendum on an unpopular president.
Walz Has Frequently Criticized Trump’s Rhetoric Since 2024 Campaign
Walz, who served as the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2024, has continued to be a frequent public critic of Trump throughout his second term, extending that pattern with his response to the convention remarks.
Convention Marked GOP’s First-Ever Midterm Gathering
The Dallas event was the Republican National Committee’s first midterm convention, a new format organized specifically to rally the party ahead of the November elections rather than tied to a presidential nominating cycle.