Updated

At the Republican Party's first midterms convention in Texas, GOP officials faced questions over whether Trump bears responsibility for oil prices rising toward $100 a barrel. Trump himself told reporters he does not expect the Iran war to end, nor oil prices to fall, until after the midterm elections, tying the war's timeline directly to the political calendar. During the convention, Trump also sought to energize voters by promising every adult American citizen $5,000 if Republicans maintain control of Congress in the midterms, a pledge repeated on the convention's final night that has drawn scrutiny over its feasibility and legality. The overlapping messages — grim predictions on oil and war alongside a sweeping cash promise — have set the tone for the GOP's midterm strategy as convention coverage continued.