President Donald Trump said the U.S. could afford his proposed $5,000 payments to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. However, lawmakers would need to approve the plan.
Trump Pushes $5,000 Checks
On Sunday, speaking to reporters in Ireland, Trump said the government had enough money to fund the payments, pointing to substantial revenue coming into the country, Reuters reported.
“I don’t know but it’s easy if the Republicans win. $5,000 to all adults in the country and we can easily handle that because we’re taking in so much money.”
Trump first proposed the $5,000 payouts at the Republican Party convention last week.
Congress Must Approve Payments
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Congress would have to approve any payments.
“Of course, the devil’s in the details. We have to figure all that out,” Johnson told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) also questioned how the payments would be financed, citing the nation’s debt.
“I support putting money back in the pockets of hardworking Americans, which is why we passed the single largest tax cut in American history,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.”
He added, “But whether you call it a stimulus check or a dividend, the question is, how do you pay for it? That’s my focus. We have a $4 trillion debt, and we have to be serious about tackling that.”
Democrats Challenge Trump’s Proposal
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called it “wasn’t a serious proposal that was presented by Donald Trump. He’s broken every promise that he’s presented.”
Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Mich.) also questioned whether Americans would actually receive the promised payments, pointing to the cancellation of some Affordable Care Act subsidies.
“There was an ACA subsidy cancellation,” McMorrow said on CNN. “I think it was $1,000 we were supposed to get. So if you believe that you’re going to get $5,000, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.”
Concerns Over $5,000 Dividend
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) took a cautious stance on Trump’s proposed $5,000 dividend checks, declining to commit to the plan amid its estimated $1.2 trillion cost and rising national debt.
Economist Peter Schiff also questioned how the government could afford the payments, pointing to nearly $4 trillion in additional debt during Trump’s 20 months in office.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ Joey Sussman
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