Trump links federal aid to midterms, telling voters states get more help if GOP holds Congress

President Donald Trump has begun telling voters that federal assistance depends on who controls Congress after the November elections. He framed this as a personal preference for dealing with allies, suggesting states led by Democrats may receive less support or slower responses from the administration.

In Greenville, North Carolina, Trump announced that $1 billion in cash settlements had been paid to veterans affected by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune. He stated that the Justice Department would settle remaining claims quickly only if the Republican Party wins both the House and the Senate. "So, if we don't win, there’s no money," Trump said. "If we do win, you’re getting it."

This comment drew sharp criticism from Jill Steen Dilgard, whose father and relatives served at the base and later developed health issues. She told The Associated Press that conditioning care on election results was "totally unacceptable." "It made me physically sick, and it infuriated me," she said. "You're playing politics and trying to bribe for a vote."

In Park City, Kansas, Trump told a crowd supporting Senator Roger Marshall that he had granted a waiver allowing year-round sales of E15, an ethanol-blended gas. He said he would make this policy permanent only if Marshall remains in the Senate. "But if Adam Hamilton is in, I’m not doing it," Trump said. "That’s it. I’m only doing it for him."

Hamilton’s campaign spokesman, Tyson Brody, noted that Marshall has served in Congress for 10 years without passing permanent E15 legislation. Brody said Hamilton would work with anyone, including the president, to deliver on priorities for Kansas.

In Vandalia, Ohio, Trump discussed disaster relief efforts and said that when a president likes a state’s leaders, "you have a lot of power over states." He expressed doubt about working with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. "If Amy Acton got in, I don’t know anything about her," Trump said. "I’m not gonna help her probably."

Trump used similar language in Perry, Georgia, where he mocked Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff with the nickname "Pee-wee Herman." He acted out a scenario where Ossoff calls to ask for money, with Trump responding, "I don’t give a damn what he wants." Ossoff called the tactic a "losing strategy" for the president to insult voters while reminding them of higher costs.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle said the president wants a Republican majority to "continue to deliver on his winning, commonsense agenda." Ingle cited policies on taxes, prescription drugs, and immigration, adding that Democrats have no agenda to improve lives. The administration is handling Camp Lejeune claims, yet Trump suggested another administration would have to settle them if Republicans lose control.

These remarks inject partisan politics into processes that often remain nonpartisan, such as distributing disaster aid and processing veteran benefits. Trump’s strategy aims to activate conservative voters by making the midterms a referendum on his leadership and party control.