President Donald Trump released a 42‑second video on his rarely‑used X account on Monday, pledging to give every adult citizen in the United States $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. In the clip, Trump warned that a Democratic victory would trigger an economic depression and that the checks would be a reward for the country’s economic success.
The video follows Trump’s earlier refusal to answer a question in the Oval Office about whether the payments were intended to influence voters. Instead, he framed the $5,000 as a dividend for “tremendous growth” that he claimed Republicans could achieve but Democrats could not, citing tariff policies. Five days later, his own social media account reiterated that the payout would depend on how people voted.
The proposal would cost roughly $1.35 trillion, based on an estimated 270 million adult Americans, more than three times the federal government’s customs‑duty revenue for the last fiscal year. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the money would not come from taxpayers, while National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett suggested Congress could approve the payments through budget reconciliation, a process that would let Republicans pass them without Democratic votes. Several Republicans, including Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Chip Roy, have already opposed the plan, citing the national debt, which surpassed $40 trillion in August.
Trump’s promises arrive as his approval ratings are at their lowest in both terms. A Pew Research Center survey from late September to early October found 30 percent approval and 68 percent disapproval, with only 17 percent approving his handling of the cost of living. The president has also announced other payments, such as $90 checks for seniors and $500 refunds for overcharged Affordable Care Act enrollees, as part of a broader strategy ahead of Election Day.
