Trump Says He’ll Give Every US Adult $5,000 if Republicans Win Midterms

Total Cost Estimated at $1.35 Trillion

Last Year’s Tariff Dividend Pledge Also Fell Through

President Donald Trump said he would give every adult in the US $5,000 if Republicans win the November midterm elections. But the proposal appears unlikely to be implemented because of questions about its legal basis.

Trump made the pledge in a keynote speech on September 9 at the opening of the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas. He said he would pay a $5,000 dividend to every adult US citizen if Republicans win both the House and Senate, describing it as similar to the way successful companies pay cash dividends to shareholders.

He added that the money would have to be spent in the US. “I don’t want you going to Canada, China or Germany and spending this money there,” Trump said. “The only condition is that it must be spent in the United States.” He did not explain how the plan would be financed or enacted. Reuters estimated the proposal would require $1.35 trillion, based on about 270 million adults in the US.

It is not the first time Trump has proposed direct cash payments. Last year, he pledged a “$2,000 tariff dividend” for each person funded by tariff revenue, but that proposal never materialized. The New York Times said the latest plan would likely raise legal issues, noting that federal law prohibits government spending intended to influence voting.

The surprise announcement came as Republicans have been struggling ahead of the midterms. The party took the unusual step of holding a national convention before the election, but the event has failed to draw enough interest to fill seats at the venue. Axios projected Democrats would win, forecasting Republicans would secure 205 to 214 seats.

Kim Dong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter 3code@hankyung.com