Trump pledges to pay every American $5,000 if GOP wins midterm elections

President Donald Trump pledged to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections. This is his latest extraordinary attempt to reverse his party’s sagging fortunes in November.

Speaking at the first night of the Republican convention in Dallas on Wednesday, the president said, “If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000,” adding “It will be called the Trump Dividend.”

The dubious promise would likely cost more than $1 trillion, require congressional approval, and further exacerbate the country’s nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit and inflation concerns.

He likened the payments to a corporation’s distributions to shareholders, citing “our tremendous strength and success economically.”

Shortly after, Vice President JD Vance appeared to try to walk back Trump’s proposal in part. He suggested that the dividend payments would not go to the wealthy and U.S. tariff revenues could pay for it. In reality, the sum would far exceed U.S. tariff revenues even before the Supreme Court tossed much of the president’s tariff program last year.