President Trump used a Fox News interview to defend his promise of a $5,000 payment to every adult U.S. citizen, saying the payout depends on Republicans keeping control of both chambers of Congress in the November midterms.
Trump made the case during an interview with Laura Ingraham on “The Ingraham Angle,” recorded before he closed out the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas, Texas. He argued that only continued Republican control would allow the government to afford the payments, which he has called a “Trump dividend.”
“Because — they can’t — I’ll tell you what, because the Democrats can’t do it,” Trump told Ingraham. “Because with them, it’s negative growth. With us, it’s so positive.”
He pointed to tariff revenue as the funding source. “We’re taking in $21 trillion. No country has ever taken in anywhere near that,” he said. “That’s four-five times more than the next. That’s all because of that beautiful word that you and I love more than most others — tariffs.”
Trump first floated the payments Wednesday night at the opening of the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas. “I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise,” he told supporters. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic — tremendous economic success like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening.”
He went on to describe the payout in corporate terms. “But because of our tremendous strength and success economically — I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000. Very much like a successful company will do a cash distribution to its shareholders,” Trump said, adding that the money would have to be “spent in the U.S.”
The math doesn’t quite add up
Republicans currently hold a narrow House majority, 218 seats to Democrats’ 214, with one independent and two vacancies. Trump repeated his claim that the government has taken in $21 trillion, calling it four or five times more than any other country has collected. But annual tariff revenue falls well short of what would be needed to cover the proposal, which could cost more than $1 trillion and add to the national debt. Enacting it would also require congressional approval.
Some lawmakers have criticized the pledge as an attempt to buy votes ahead of the midterms, while Trump and his allies have likened it to a shareholder dividend from a profitable company.
Trump opened his Dallas speech by touting his record in his second term, saying he’s “doing a great job,” before turning to the historical pattern of the president’s party losing ground in midterm elections. “But I say, why is it that, no matter how well you’re doing, we see not a president — Democrat or Republican — almost never wins the midterms?” he said. “We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good we can’t let that string be broken. So, I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot, just one more time.”
The White House followed up with a statement Thursday promoting the plan. “Last night, President Donald J. Trump unveiled the Trump Dividend — a historic $5,000 cash payment to every adult American citizen, made possible by the strength of the American economy under his leadership,” the statement said, calling it “the latest proof that President Trump does what the so-called ‘experts’ say cannot be done: he delivers for the American people.”
The statement added a warning aimed at voters: “The Trump Dividend depends on President Trump and Republicans. Democrat control means America loses — and working people pay the price.”
