Airport Name Change Timeline Extends to Year or More
Airport officials said the change could take a year or more and involves working with Parton’s estate.
Tag: Republican Party
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Jimmy Kimmel Gleefully Roasts Empty Seats at Trump’s Midterm Convention
Former President Donald Trump held a midterm campaign convention in Texas on Wednesday, but attendance appeared lower than expected as several Republicans cited scheduling conflicts for their absence.
Jimmy Kimmel Highlights Empty Seats at Trump Rally
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel devoted a segment to the event, contrasting video footage of vacant seats with Trump’s claim that the venue was packed.
“Could there be a better metaphor for this presidency than him bragging about the size of his crowd to a bunch of empty seats? I don’t think so. When does the kid come out and inform the emperor that he has no clothes? That arena was as empty as a Waymo,” Kimmel says.
Kimmel further compared the scene to state-controlled media environments.
“This is what happens in North Korea. It is really terrifying that this is the news that some people are getting exclusively.”
The convention was intended to energize Republican voters ahead of the midterm elections, but the visible turnout raised questions about current enthusiasm levels within the party base.
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Donald Trump’s $5,000 Promise: Potential Impact on Bitcoin and Altcoins
Trump Launches Midterm Campaign With $5,000 Payment Promise to Adult Citizens
Former President Donald Trump officially kicked off his campaign for the November congressional elections with a rally in Dallas, Texas, where he announced a sweeping financial proposal: a $5,000 payment to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans secure control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Details of the Proposed Payment Program
Speaking at the Republican midterm election rally, Trump outlined the direct payment plan but attached a strict domestic spending requirement. “I don’t want you spending this money in Canada, China, or Germany. The only condition is that the money is spent in the United States.”
The former president did not specify how the program would be funded during his remarks. According to calculations by Reuters, based on a U.S. adult population of approximately 270 million, the total cost could reach roughly $1.35 trillion. Legal experts cited by Reuters noted that a presidential decree alone would be insufficient to authorize such expenditures; congressional legislation would be required.
Cryptocurrency Analysts Predict Potential Altcoin Season
Trump’s proposal has immediately drawn attention from digital asset markets. Cryptocurrency analyst Mark Chadwick suggested the plan could act as a massive liquidity catalyst for the crypto sector, potentially triggering a large-scale altcoin season.
In a post on his X account, Chadwick compared the proposed payments to the COVID-19 stimulus checks distributed in 2021, which coincided with a significant rally in risk assets. He argued that the infusion of new capital could provide additional momentum to a bull market he believes is already in its early stages. Chadwick had previously noted in his analyses that the long-term downtrend in the altcoin market appeared to have broken, with current technical patterns resembling those seen ahead of previous major altcoin rallies.
This article does not constitute investment advice.
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Marjorie Taylor Greene Slams Laura Loomer for Attacking Democratic Rep. Angie Nixon
Marjorie Taylor Greene is defending Democrat Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon while criticizing Laura Loomer’s attacks on the lawmaker.
Greene also accused former President Donald Trump and the Republican Party of enabling Loomer’s “nonstop vitriol.”
MTG reposted a heated exchange between Loomer and Nixon.
Source: www.tmz.com
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Trump’s $5,000 Midterm Dividend Checks: What You Need to Know
President Donald Trump is reviving direct-payment promises ahead of the November midterm elections, pledging a $5,000 “Trump dividend” to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress and announcing $500 refunds for certain Affordable Care Act enrollees. The proposals, unveiled during the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas, have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats, some Republicans, and policy experts who question their legality, funding, and economic impact.
Trump’s $5,000 ‘Trump Dividend’ Pledge
Speaking at the rally on Sept. 9, Trump tied the payment directly to electoral outcomes:
“If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000. It will be called the ‘Trump dividend.’”
The president said the dividend would be funded by the “tremendous strength and success” of the American economy and must be spent within the United States. He did not specify a funding mechanism or total cost during the speech.
A White House press release the following day attributed the potential payout to “unleashed trillions in new private investment” and reductions in government waste. However, independent estimates place the price tag at roughly $1.2 trillion, requiring congressional approval.
Legislative Prospects and Political Reaction
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, posted on X that he would prepare legislation for the dividend. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News on Thursday that whether enough votes exist for passage is a “good question,” adding, “We will cross that bridge when we come to it.”
Democrats denounced the proposal as election interference. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, called it a “political bribe,” while Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., labeled the pledge “corrupt and blatantly illegal.”
Republican criticism also emerged. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned the plan could “lead to more debt and inflation.” Former Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., described the checks as a “socialist vote-buying scheme,” according to The Hill.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told CentralMaine.com: “From the few details we have, it seems that the proposed $5,000 dividend would not have an income cap and would be extraordinarily costly. Tax and spending decisions should be made based on the needs of the American people and the state of the economy; they should not appear to be tied to election results.”
$500 Obamacare Refund Checks Detailed
A day after the Dallas rally, the White House released a video and fact sheet outlining $500 payments to roughly 1 million people in 30 states who purchased coverage through Healthcare.gov without receiving premium assistance under the Affordable Care Act. The administration says the refunds stem from excess user fees collected from insurers that were passed on to consumers through higher premiums.
Trump stated the excessive fees total $500 million: “Our Administration is doing the right thing and giving the money back to the people who were wrongly ripped off.” Checks are expected to be distributed in October.
Critics Call Refunds ‘Disingenuous’
Advocates note that Senate Republicans in December 2025 rejected a plan to extend COVID-era Obamacare subsidies that lowered costs for 22 million Americans. Brad Woodhouse, president of the left-leaning advocacy group Protect Our Care, said in a statement: “What an absolute joke. Five hundred dollars is a drop in the bucket compared to what Americans are paying because Trump and Republicans gutted health care to bankroll massive tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.”
Previous Trump Payment Initiatives: Mixed Results
Americans have reason for skepticism based on past promises. In December 2025, all military personnel received a $1,776 “Warrior Dividend” bonus. Although Trump said the funds would come from tariff revenue, the money was ultimately sourced from military housing appropriations in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” law.
More recently, “Trump Accounts” launched with $1,000 deposits for children born between 2025 and 2028. As of July 6, Trump said 6 million children had accounts, designed as investment starters similar to IRAs for minors.
However, two other proposed dividends — one from Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) proceeds and another from tariff revenues — never materialized.
Economists Warn of Inflation and Feasibility Risks
Regarding the latest $5,000 proposal, economists caution about macroeconomic side effects. Garrett Watson, vice president of federal tax policy at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, told USA TODAY: “Given such side effects, the $5,000 dividend checks don’t make sense. The president is promising something that almost certainly can’t be done, from a policy and political perspective.”
Watson and other analysts warn that injecting $1.2 trillion into the economy without offsetting revenue could exacerbate inflation and push interest rates higher.
Contributing: Ken Alltucker, Zac Anderson, Aysha Bagchi, Christopher Cann, Daniel de Visé, Joey Garrison, Julia Gomez, Bart Jansen, Melina Khan and Jeanine Santucci
Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider @mikegsnider.bsky.social @mikesnider msnider@usatoday.com.