Key facts
- President Donald Trump said the U.S. can afford to send $5,000 to every adult if Republicans keep control of Congress.
- Trump stated the U.S. is taking in so much money that it can easily handle the payouts.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson said any such payment would need congressional approval.
- House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the proposal not a 'serious proposal'.
- Public Citizen called the move an attempt to buy votes with a false promise.
President Donald Trump stated on Sunday that the United States can afford to send $5,000 to every adult if Republicans maintain control of Congress in the upcoming elections. Trump told reporters that the country is taking in so much money that it can easily handle the proposed payouts.
The idea for the $5,000 payments was unveiled by Trump during a recent speech at the Republican Party convention. Speaking from his golf club in Ireland, Trump asserted that the U.S. government has the necessary funds.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated that any such payments would require approval from Congress, noting that "the devil’s in the details." Democratic politicians criticized the proposal on Sunday morning talk shows. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described it as not a "serious proposal." Senator Mallory McMorrow expressed skepticism, referencing past cancellations of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Representative Mike Lawler, while supporting putting money back into Americans' pockets, emphasized the need to address the nation's $4 trillion debt. Lisa Gilbert, co-president of the consumer watchdog Public Citizen, characterized the move as a "desperate attempt to buy votes" with a false promise.