President Donald Trump renewed his $5,000 cheque promise in a Truth Social video on Saturday, pledging payments to every adult US citizen if Republicans retain Congress in November.
He had outlined a similar proposal at the Republican National Committee's first midterm convention in Dallas last month. An Economist/YouGov survey cited by CNBC found 57% of registered voters doubted he would deliver even if Republicans retained Congress.
Funding Details Missing From Trump's $5,000 Pledge
'If Republicans win the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 Midterm Elections, I'm going to give all Adult Citizens in the United States of America, $5,000 (£3782.78),' Trump stated.
Sending that amount to every adult citizen would cost roughly $1.2 trillion (£910bn) and require congressional approval. Trump has not provided a detailed funding mechanism or legislative path for the payments. Republican control of both chambers would not, by itself, provide that approval.
Some Republicans have raised concerns about the deficit and inflation. Arizona Republican representative David Schweikert told Reuters last month he would 'throw everything of my heart and soul' into blocking the proposal, warning it could push interest rates higher.
Maryland Democratic representative Jamie Raskin called it a 'political bribe' in a CNN interview on 10 September and emphasised that Congress controls federal spending.
Smaller Payments Accompany Trump's Midterm Pitch
The administration's promotion of direct cash payments comes as Republicans enter the closing stretch of a midterm campaign dominated by concerns about prices and the economy. The smaller payments have specific groups of eligible recipients, while the $5,000 promise would extend to every adult citizen.
Trump announced one-time $90 (£68) payments for 20.8 million Medicare beneficiaries on Friday. The money is scheduled to reach eligible Part B enrollees this month, with financing provided through the Medicare Improvement Fund.
Meanwhile, $500 (£378.28) Obamacare refunds began going out last week to roughly 950,000 people who bought unsubsidised coverage through the federal marketplace. These payments are restricted to certain HealthCare.gov customers paying full price for their insurance.
A Reuters analysis calculated that $339 million (£256.47 million), or 71% of the Obamacare money, was going to residents of 13 states with competitive Senate and gubernatorial races. Eligibility depends on insurance status, not voting status.
Voter Doubts and Trump's Previous Cash Offers
A Rasmussen Reports survey recorded a 47% to 48% split among likely voters on the proposal, with just 15% indicating it would affect their vote. In Wisconsin, a Marquette Law School poll found 70% opposed the payments.
Earlier offers did not reach recipients. In February 2025, the administration floated a $5,000 'DOGE dividend', proposing to finance it through savings from spending cuts enacted by the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency, led by Elon Musk. Those payments never materialised.
Trump subsequently proposed a tariff-funded dividend of at least $2,000 (£1,513.11) per person in November 2025. The Supreme Court struck down his sweeping emergency tariffs under IEEPA in February this year, and no cheques were issued.
Six weeks before the 2020 election, he promised $200 (£151.31) prescription-drug cards to 33 million Medicare beneficiaries. He promised they would arrive 'in coming weeks', but the cards never went out.
The administration has also delivered payments. Last year, it distributed a $1,776 (£1,343.64) 'Warrior Dividend' to roughly 1.5 million service members. Congress also approved pandemic stimulus payments during Trump's first term.
