Roland Martin calls the $5,000 pledge a "con" and a "bribe"
Roland MartinHost, Roland Martin Unfiltered
Roland Martin called Trump's $5,000 pledge a "con" and a "bribe."
“what did the twice impeached criminally convicted con man in chief do — he announced his new con... They fell for that lie... Fox News was right. Yes, we are going to call it a bribe because that's exactly what it is.”
Original video
Where this statement fits
Trump’s $5,000 election pledge: policy dividend or vote-buying?
At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on September 9, 2026, Donald Trump promised $5,000 for each adult American citizen if Republicans retained both the House and Senate. Supporters presented the proposed dividend as a way to share economic gains; critics called the election condition an improper inducement or questioned whether tariff revenue could finance it. Other responses raised narrower questions about timing, cost and whether a broad policy promise amounts to illegal vote-buying.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
Roland Martin Unfiltered segment on Trump's $5,000 pledge.
Before the quotation
Said on the September 12, 2026 episode of Roland Martin Unfiltered.
After the quotation
Said on the same episode discussing the pledge's reception.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Martin directly calls the pledge a "con" and endorses Fox News's characterization of it as a "bribe," an express condemnation of the pledge as dishonest vote-buying.
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- People and groups discussed
- Donald Trump
More from this case
Read the full caseTrump tells a Kansas rally voters get nothing if Republicans lose
“If you elect a Republican House and a Republican Senate on November 3, you get $5,000,” … “And if you lose, you get nothing.”Read statement
Inquirer editorial board calls the $5,000 pledge a "preposterous promise to pay off voters"
The Philadelphia Inquirer
“Trump has also been reiterating his most preposterous promise to pay off voters, claiming during recent campaign stops that his administration will give every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate next month.”Read statement
David Axelrod likens Trump's $5,000 video to selling Trump University
“Like selling Trump U on cable TV. And about as reliable.”Read statement
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- Roland Martin calls the $5,000 pledge a "con" and a "bribe"
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The Dispute Index. "Roland Martin calls the $5,000 pledge a "con" and a "bribe"". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/922-roland-martin-called-trump-s-5-000-pledge