President Donald Trump pledged a $5,000 “Trump dividend” to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain both the House and Senate in November, tying a potentially $1 trillion-plus federal payout directly to the GOP’s midterm performance.
Trump Ties $5,000 Checks To GOP Win
“Here is my promise: if the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them … I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said Wednesday at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
A Reuters report estimated the pledge could cost about $1.35 trillion.
Trump attributed the proposed payment to U.S. economic performance, telling attendees it was possible “because we’ve done so well and because our country is making so much money.” The Associated Press noted in its report that Trump likened the idea to companies rewarding shareholders with dividends.
The president also said recipients would have to spend the money domestically. “We don’t want you going to Canada to spend the money,” Trump said, adding that Americans should not take it to China or Germany. Reuters reported that Trump provided no detailed mechanism for enforcing that restriction.
Congressional Approval Remains a Major Hurdle
The biggest obstacle is congressional approval. Congress would have to authorize the payments, according to AP. The Constitution’s Appropriations Clause generally requires federal expenditures to be authorized by law, making congressional action a major hurdle for Trump’s proposal.
Earlier Tariff Dividend Plan Faced Questions
Trump has floated cash dividends in the past. Last year, he proposed at least $2,000 per person from tariff revenue, initially excluding high-income Americans. He later said he believed congressional approval was unnecessary.
However,
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett subsequently said Congress ultimately determines how federal revenues are spent and suggested the earlier payments would require legislation. Previous analysis of Trump’s proposal also found the proposed $2,000 checks could substantially exceed tariff revenue.
AP reported Vice President JD Vance later suggested the new $5,000 benefit might exclude wealthy Americans and could use tariff revenue, though the administration has not released a formal funding plan.
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