US President Donald Trump has promised a $5,000 payment to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the upcoming November midterm elections.
Trump made the announcement while addressing the Republican Party's first midterm convention in Dallas, calling the proposed payment the "Trump Dividend." He said the payment would be issued to every adult citizen if Republicans win both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
"If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000," Trump said during his speech. He added that the money would have to be spent within the United States.
Trump does not provide details on payment
Trump did not provide details on how the proposed payments would be implemented or where the money would come from. With around 270 million adults in the US, a $5,000 payment for every adult could cost approximately $1.35 trillion.
Vice President JD Vance later suggested that the payment could exclude wealthy Americans and potentially be funded through revenue generated by tariffs. However, the available tariff revenue would be far below the amount required for such a programme.
Proposal would need congressional approval
The proposal would also require congressional approval, according to budget experts. Trump does not have unilateral authority to distribute such a large payment to Americans.
The announcement comes as Republicans face a challenging political environment ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Democrats are seeking to gain control of at least one chamber of Congress, while Republicans are defending narrow majorities.
The US national debt has also crossed $40 trillion, while the federal government continues to run a large annual deficit, raising questions about how such payments could be financed.
Trump links payment to Republican victory
Trump presented the proposed payment as a reward for the country's economic strength and directly linked it to a Republican victory in the midterms. The announcement marks another instance of Trump proposing direct payments to Americans, following his earlier discussions about a $2,000 tariff-funded dividend.
The proposal has already attracted criticism over its financial feasibility, with analysts questioning whether the government could afford payments on such a large scale given the country's debt and deficit.
