Is Trump's $5,000 'dividend' legal and how would it work?
The proposal could cost about $1.2 trillion and faces questions over funding, legality and whether Congress would approve it.
- On Thursday, President Donald Trump offered a confused explanation to Fox News host Laura Ingraham for why he cannot distribute promised $5,000 dividend checks now, instead blaming Democrats for the delay.
- Trump promised the dividend at a Wednesday GOP rally, contingent on Republicans retaining control of Congress. He claimed tariffs would fund the $1.3 trillion cost, though analysts note it exceeds the entire federal discretionary budget for 2026.
- This proposal follows previous unfulfilled pledges, including $5,000 DOGE checks and $2,000 tariff dividends that never materialized. Trump separately claimed Thursday he would issue $500 rebate checks to about one million Affordable Care Act enrollees.
- Critics, including National Review Senior Editor Charles Cooke, labeled the plan "socialist" and "bribery," calling it "morally, practically, and politically catastrophic." Legal analysts warn that direct payments to influence voting may violate federal election laws.
- Implementation remains uncertain as the $1.3 trillion cost could worsen the $2 trillion federal budget deficit. The administration provided no evidence supporting the rebate claims, raising questions about program feasibility and funding sources.
94 Articles
94 Articles
Trump says Congress may not need to approve $5,000 checks
President Donald Trump told CBS News Texas he does not think Congress would need to approve his proposed $5,000 payments to American adults, which he has pledged if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in November. Trump also said the money would have to be spent in the US, but did not explain how that requirement would work.
Fact-check: Can Trump give Americans $5,000 if Republicans win midterms?
“I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” President Donald Trump said, adding: “If the Republicans win. You win with us and you get $5,000. It will be called the ‘Trump dividend.’”
Trump: I Don’t Need Congress To Approve $5K Checks
CBS TEXAS: “Mr. Trump, last night you proposed ‘Trump Dividends,’ giving every American adult citizen $5,000, and I’m wondering if Congress would need to approve that? TRUMP: “Well, we think not. I think they will do it if we needed it. But we think not. The country is doing so well, we’ve taken in trillions … The post Trump: I Don’t Need Congress To Approve $5K Checks appeared first on Joe.My.God..
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