US President Donald Trump promised to give every American $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, comments that critics said underscored his party’s weakness ahead of the vote. Trump’s unpopularity — an average of polls show just 38% of Americans approve of him — has weighed heavily on his party’s chances of retaining a majority, pushing some Republican candidates to seek distance from the man they once wooed.
Beyond broad rejection of the war in the Middle East, voters have soured on the Trump administration over its handling of the economy, which could face yet more pressure if the “Trump dividend” were to be approved: 10-year borrowing costs reached an almost three-year high on Wednesday.
