Is Trump's $5,000 pledge a sign of panic?

BBC’s Samira Hussain explains what needs to happen for Trump's $5,000 gift to become reality

We all know that Donald Trump does not feel the need to adhere to the normal rules of political campaigning. Even by his own unconventional standards, his extravagant promise to pay every American citizen $5,000 (£3,700) if the Republicans win the midterm elections was bizarre.

He slipped in the mention about an hour into his lengthy speech - just when the audience's attention was starting to waver.

Asked for more information, the White House said in a statement that "the announcement is the latest proof that President Trump does what the so-called 'experts' say cannot be done: he delivers for the American people", but gave no more specifics about how it would be implemented.

But Republicans in tight races in November's election - who need to win over sceptical swing voters, including moderate Republicans and independents - largely stayed away from the event.

Trump says every adult American will get $5,000 if Republicans win midtermsPublished10 September

Conservatives who have clashed with Trump before, especially over how the federal debt has continued to balloon under his presidency, were scathing in their response.

Senator Susan Collins, who swerved Dallas to campaign in Maine where she's facing a tight race for re-election, said: "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."

Legal experts say it's unlikely Trump could approve such a vast sum via a presidential executive order - but the president suggested on Thursday he wouldn't be going to Congress.

But plenty of fiscally conservative Republican representatives would likely refuse to support this kind of spending.

But this convention was a reminder that Trump still dominates the party and, in the House of Representative at least, he has previously made them bend to his will on policies that don't chime with traditional conservative positions.