UNITED STATES President Donald Trump has promised to pay every adult American $5,000 if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections.
Trump made the promise on Wednesday, September 9, at the Republican Party’s first midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where he urged voters to support Republican candidates.
“If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our tremendous economic success, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” Trump said.
Trump, however, did not explain how the payment would be funded or how it would be administered. The proposal would also require congressional approval before the federal government could make such a large payment.
The ICIR estimate shows that paying $5,000 to about 270 million adult Americans would cost over $1. trillion.
The promise has raised questions about whether using a financial benefit in connection with an election could fall within US laws prohibiting payments intended to influence voting.
Under 18 U.S.C. §597, it is a federal offence to make or offer an expenditure to a person in return for voting, withholding a vote, or voting for or against a candidate. The law also provides penalties for people who accept such payments.
Another federal provision, 18 U.S.C. §600, prohibits certain promises of employment, compensation or other benefits made possible by an Act of Congress when offered as consideration, favour or reward for political activity or support for or opposition to a candidate or political party.
Trump has also urged his supporters to treat the midterm election as though he himself were on the ballot, despite not being a candidate in the elections.
“I am asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot.” Trump said he believes about 35 seats across both the House and the Senate could determine the winner of the midterms.
“The ones that are very close, they might be winning by a little or losing by a little or tied…I am going to go to every one of those states,” Trump was quoted saying.
Meanwhile, this was not the first time Trump would be making a money promise to US citizens. Trump, via his Truth Social, on November 9, floated a $2,000 “tariff dividend” for Americans, excluding high-income Americans, but that payment was never implemented.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M