Framing the World

Translated by. Chiara Lamedica 

Framing the World is an analysis series offering in-depth insights into the main dynamics of international politics. The series is organized by geographic areas — Asia, the Americas, Africa & MENA, and Europe — and each week features a thematic focus made up of several coordinated contributions. Its aim is to provide clear and accessible perspectives on the key developments shaping the world, through the collaborative work of the editorial team.

This and much more in the latest issue of FtW!

United States: Trump promises $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterms

At the Republican convention for the midterm elections — the first of its kind in history — Donald Trump took the stage to the sound of “God Bless America,” performed by Lee Greenwood himself. The President, clearly in his comfort zone, delivered a roughly two-hour, highly theatrical speech at a sports arena in Dallas that was not at full capacity, but whose audience was entirely drawn from the MAGA base. He spoke about Iran and the economy, the opposition and immigration, taxes and New Mexico (or New America) and, above all, about himself. The peak of “Trumpism” came when The Don promised to deposit $5,000 into the account of every American adult if the party retains control of both the House and the Senate in November. “Pretend I’m on the ballot.” Trump’s appeal reflects Republican fears of losing their majorities in both chambers in November’s midterm elections. Beyond the sheer improbability that the government could spend $1.3 trillion on such a measure (there are roughly 270 million adults in the United States), federal law explicitly prohibits the use of payments to influence voting. One way Trump could follow through on his promise would be through a tax cut. In any case, it remains to be seen, since tax legislation falls under Congress’s authority.

His second speech, delivered on Thursday night into Friday morning in Italy, was shorter but no less intense. Trump had the audience at the American Airlines Center swear, with their right hands raised, that they would go to the polls in November. The evening also saw the “popular” anointing of JD Vance as the Republican candidate-in-waiting for the 2028 presidential election. The crowd chanted his name alongside the number “48,” a reference to the fact that he would become the 48th president, while Trump publicly praised him.

The Dallas convention concluded on Friday. Meanwhile, Trump’s economic promises directed straight at voters less than two months before the midterm elections do not end there. The administration has announced that it intends to send $500 refund checks to around one million people in thirty states who, it claims, were overcharged for health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, Obama’s healthcare law, which introduced a system under which, through a provision known as the “individual mandate,” every citizen was required to obtain health insurance coverage.

Giovanni Ferrazza

The “Trump-a-Palooza” Show: Spectacle, Personality Cult, and Incendiary Rhetoric Against Democrats

The Republican Party’s first midterm convention, held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas and informally dubbed “Trump-a-Palooza,” has redefined the boundaries between a political rally, a fundraising event, and an entertainment show. It is an unprecedented experiment in the history of a U.S. political party outside a presidential election year, entirely structured as a highly theatrical showcase centered around the figure of Donald Trump.

The event’s performative dimension was evident from the very beginning in its staging: the arena that is home to the Dallas Mavericks, the American Airlines Center, was covered with enormous portraits of the president, while both the indoor and outdoor spaces were transformed into a sea of MAGA hats, Texas boots, and patriotic symbols. Rather than a conventional policy-focused debate, the gathering took on the character of a major media spectacle designed to mobilize the Republican base ahead of the November vote, turning political action into a full-fledged mass-entertainment format.

From a rhetorical standpoint, the convention stepped up the polarization, with speeches focused on portraying political opponents in dark and threatening terms. Several speakers, as well as Trump himself, adopted extremely harsh rhetoric, portraying the Democratic camp as an expression of radical extremism. Throughout the various speeches, the progressive wing of the opposing party was repeatedly attacked and associated with extremist positions, and, in the most extreme cases, branded with derogatory terms such as “communist” or even “anti-American.” The strategic objective of this narrative is twofold: to rally conservative voters by portraying the stakes as a radical defense of American values, and to present Republicans as the only bulwark of “common sense” against an alleged ideological drift by the left.

Bianca Colli

Framing The World is a project conceived and created through the collaboration of a team of associates from Mondo Internazionale.