President Donald Trump has again promised a $5,000 payment to adult US citizens, saying the plan could move ahead if Republicans keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate after the November midterm elections.
The proposal, which Trump has described as a “dividend” for Americans, would require approval from Congress. The plan could cost the government more than $1 trillion, even before administrative costs are included. The president has not provided details on when the payments could be made or how Americans would receive the money.
Trump links payments to Republican control
Trump renewed the promise during an announcement about a steel plant in the Oval Office on Monday. He said his administration’s economic policies would bring in enough revenue to fund the payments.
“Because of tariffs, we are taking in hundreds of billions of dollars of profits,” he said on Monday at the Oval Office. “It’s one of the reasons I can offer, if Republicans win the House and the Senate, $5,000 to every adult. And we can do it and the Democrats can’t, because the Democrats don’t have any income, and they’re gonna drive us in[to] a depression. They won’t have any money.” Trump has previously presented the proposed payment as a benefit that Americans could receive from the country’s economic gains.
He made the promise earlier this month at the Republican National Midterm Convention, where he tied the payment directly to the outcome of the elections. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them,” the president told attendees. “I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.”The proposal would need congressional approval before any payments could be made.
How much could the Trump Dividend cost?
The proposed $5,000 payment would apply to every adult US citizen. With the number of eligible recipients running into hundreds of millions, the total cost could cross $1 trillion.
The exact cost would depend on who qualifies and how the programme is structured. The administration has not yet explained the eligibility rules, payment process or timeline.
Trump has linked the proposal to revenue generated through tariffs. His comments explain that the administration sees tariff collections as a potential source for the payments. The plan has also become part of a series of payment promises made during Trump’s second term.
Trump has promised other payments
The $5,000 proposal is not the first payment that Trump or members of his administration have discussed since he returned to the White House.
The administration previously floated the idea of giving Americans $5,000 rebates from savings generated through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, under Elon Musk. Other proposals included a $2,000 payment linked to tariffs and a $1,000 payment connected to expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The proposals differ in their source of funding and structure. Not all of them have moved forward. The proposed $5,000 payment has not generated strong enthusiasm among all voters. Trump has not explained when the payments would be issued, how they would be distributed or what Congress would need to approve. The proposal comes as both parties prepare for the November midterm elections, with control of Congress at stake.
Trump attacks Democrats over affordability
Trump also used Monday’s briefing to blame Democrats for the higher cost of groceries and gasoline.He connected the issue to Iran and accused Democrats of failing to prevent the country from developing a nuclear weapon.
“They like to say ‘affordability,’ but they are the ones that caused the affordability problem,” Trump said on Monday. “They’re the ones that caused all of these problems. They were unwilling to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon.” Trump has increasingly made the cost of living a central part of his economic messaging as his administration promotes its policies on tariffs and government spending.
Democrats call the promise empty
Democrats have criticised Trump’s proposed payments and questioned the administration’s economic claims. The $5,000 proposal remains dependent on congressional approval. For now, key details including eligibility, funding, timing and the method of payment have not been finalised.