US President Donald Trump has promised to give every adult American citizen a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in November’s midterm elections.
Trump made the pledge on Wednesday during a speech at the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, as he sought to rally Republican voters ahead of the elections.
“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them… because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Mr Trump said.
He added that the money would have to be spent within the United States.
The president compared the proposed payment to a cash distribution made by a successful company to its shareholders, describing it as a reward linked to what he characterised as strong economic performance under his administration.
However, Mr Trump did not provide details on how the proposed payments would be funded, when they would be distributed or what legislative process would be required to implement the plan.
The proposal could cost more than $1 trillion, depending on the number of eligible adults, raising questions about its financial and political feasibility. The president would also likely need congressional approval to authorise such payments.
Trump’s announcement comes as Republicans prepare for a closely watched midterm contest in which control of the House and Senate will be at stake.
The president has increasingly placed himself at the centre of the Republican campaign, urging voters to treat the elections as a referendum on his administration and warning that a Democratic victory would threaten his political agenda.
The proposed $5,000 payment is not the first time Trump has floated the idea of distributing money directly to Americans. He previously proposed a $2,000 “tariff dividend”, although that plan did not materialise.
For now, the latest pledge remains a campaign promise, with major questions surrounding its funding, legal framework and implementation.
The November midterms will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress — and, if Trump’s proposal becomes reality, whether millions of American adults could receive what he has dubbed a “Trump Dividend.”
