From Fortune · Didi Tang · · 1m 30s
Trump's $5,000 check runs into Congress
Trump promised every adult $5,000 if Republicans hold Congress, then said he might not need Congress at all.
In brief
Trump promised every adult $5,000 if Republicans hold Congress, then said he might not need Congress at all. A $5,000-per-adult payout would cost over $1 trillion and cannot happen without Congress, whatever Trump says at the microphone. Originally reported by Fortune.
A check for your vote
At the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Trump pitched a "Trump Dividend" of $5,000 for every American adult, on the condition that Republicans keep the House and Senate in November.
“Trump Dividend”
Who needs Congress
Trump told CBS News Texas he did not think lawmakers had to authorize the payments. He never explained how he would spend more than $1 trillion without them.
The Speaker says otherwise
House Speaker Mike Johnson contradicted him on Sunday, saying the money would require a vote, while still calling the idea worth pursuing.
“I would assume, yes, he'd need Congress to act, and that's a creative idea”
Promised anyway
Hours later, boarding Air Force One in Ireland, Trump doubled down. Johnson said he would try to move it through a House with a razor-thin Republican margin.
“The 5,000's going to happen, 100%.”
The trillion-dollar hole
The payout would land on top of a nearly $1.8 trillion annual deficit, with inflation stubborn and interest rates climbing. Trump insists the country is taking in enough money to cover it.
“We can easily handle that because we're taking in so much money. We've never done better.”
A sales pitch to skeptics
Just a third of adults approve of Trump's job performance in AP-NORC polling, down from 42% at inauguration. Gas prices are rising as the war with Iran keeps the Strait of Hormuz shut.
What to remember
A $5,000-per-adult payout would cost over $1 trillion and cannot happen without Congress, whatever Trump says at the microphone.
