Key facts
- Donald Trump promised to send $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans win the midterm elections.
- The plan would require congressional approval, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson.
- Johnson stated Congress has had no time to discuss the proposal.
- Skepticism from GOP leaders centers on financing and the potential to increase the national debt.
- The U.S. national debt is already over $40 trillion, according to Rep. Ralph Norman.
House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Congress has had no opportunity to discuss Donald Trump's pledge to distribute $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans maintain control of Congress following the midterm elections. Trump made the promise during an appearance at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention, attributing the feasibility to the "tremendous economic success" under his previous administration.
While Trump initially appeared to dismiss the need for congressional approval in an interview with CBS News, Johnson later clarified that such a move would indeed require legislative backing. However, Johnson added that there has been "zero time" to process, deliberate, or discuss the proposal.
The promise has been met with skepticism from many Republican leaders, who have voiced concerns regarding the financing of these payments and the potential for a significant increase in the national deficit. Outgoing Representative Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) posted on social media that the U.S. is already more than $40 trillion in debt and cannot sustain additional large spending packages without a clear funding strategy. Some critics have labeled the proposal as a bribe, with National Review publishing a column titled "Trump Breaks Glass, Joins Socialists, Embraces Bribery," and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer writing on X that Trump is resorting to "bribing the American people for their votes."