US President Donald Trump has promised to give every adult American a $5,000 federal “dividend” if Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives and Senate in the November midterm elections.
Trump made the pledge on Wednesday at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where he urged voters to keep Republicans in control of Congress.
“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them,” Trump said, he would issue $5,000 “to every adult citizen in the United States of America.”
Trump described the proposed payment as a dividend but did not provide details on how it would be funded or administered.
He said the money would also have to be spent within the United States.
“The only caveat I have is that the dividend that we’re making must be spent in the United States of America,” Trump said.
The proposal could involve a massive federal expenditure. Reuters estimated that paying $5,000 to about 270 million American adults would cost approximately $1.35 trillion.
The legality and practical implementation of the proposal were not immediately clear.
The Associated Press also estimated that the programme would cost more than $1 trillion, while Vice President JD Vance suggested that wealthier Americans could potentially be excluded from receiving the payment.
Trump linked the proposed dividend to what he described as the country’s economic strength and success.
The pledge comes ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, in which all 435 seats in the House and about one-third of the Senate seats will be contested.
Although Trump is not on the ballot, he has positioned himself at the centre of the Republican campaign, urging voters to treat the election as though he were personally running.
“So I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot,” Trump told supporters.
The latest proposal also echoes an earlier suggestion for direct payments to Americans.
In February 2025, Trump considered a proposed “DOGE dividend” that would have used savings from the Department of Government Efficiency to fund payments to taxpayers. The idea followed a proposal by Elon Musk for $5,000 refund cheques, but it did not result in a nationwide payment.
Trump’s latest pledge is currently a political proposal rather than an existing federal payment programme, and details on its funding and implementation have yet to be provided.
The promise comes as Republicans face a challenging midterm campaign, with Trump’s approval ratings and voter concerns over the economy and the war in Iran posing potential risks to Republican candidates.
AFP
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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