US President Donald Trump again defended his proposal to grant a $5,000 payment to adult US citizens if the Republican Party retains control of the House of Representatives and the Senate after the November 2026 midterm elections, stating that only under these circumstances would he be authorized to do so.
Trump has dubbed the initiative the "Trump
Dividend" and maintains that it would be possible thanks to the revenue
generated by his trade and tariff policies. The White House originally
presented the proposal as a dividend intended to share some of the benefits
generated by the US economy with citizens.
"If Republicans win the House of Representatives and
the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, I will give $5,000 to every adult
citizen of the United States," Trump declared, reiterating his commitment.
The president has also indicated that the total cost of the
measure would exceed one trillion dollars. This would allow him to fulfill his
promise, considering the number of adult citizens, which suggests that
providing $5,000 to adults is feasible.
One of the main unknowns is how the program would be
financed. Trump has mentioned revenue from tariffs, while Vice President JD
Vance has also suggested using that source of funding.
The proposal would also require congressional approval to
establish the legal and budgetary mechanism that would allow the payments to be
made. Only if the House of Representatives and the Senate are controlled by
Republicans would an approved program guaranteeing those $5,000 to citizens be
possible.
Trump hopes to make the proposal a reality after the
November elections.