At the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on Wednesday, President Trump promised to give $5,000 to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans win both the House and Senate in the midterms. He said: “I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000.”
Many X users responded by asking if the President of the United States has the authority to issue such payments, writing: “is that legal?” U.S. Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) responded with snark: “Republicans control Congress right now. They control the House and the Senate. We go back into session on Monday. Why won’t @SpeakerJohnson pass it this week?”
[NOTE: Trump’s dividend promise, which would cost approximately $1.3 trillion if every adult were included, would require congressional approval.]
MAGA-aligned X influencer @amuse replied to Moskowitz: “The Senate Republican conference opposes it.”
Republicans control Congress right now. They control the House and the Senate. We go back into session on Monday. Why won’t @SpeakerJohnson pass it this week? https://t.co/2Xt4sVFDb1
— Jared Moskowitz (@JaredEMoskowitz) September 10, 2026
Critics of the Trump administration, including former Heritage Foundation economist Jessica Riedl, are responding with skepticism.
Riedl, who served as a director of budget and spending policy for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, wrote on social media: “The claim that federal budget is so overrun with surplus cash that Washington can afford to spend $1.3 trillion on ‘rebates’ is so detached from reality that I refuse to waste my time walking through the math. If that makes sense to you, you are beyond help.”
Conservative political pundit Matt Walsh responded: “Spending over a trillion dollars to randomly send everyone in the country a check for five grand, including people who are not even net taxpayers — which makes this, yes, welfare — is idiotic. Sorry. We did that during covid and it didn’t help anything. Only made inflation worse. This is flagrant bribery. Which I could maybe stomach if the plan itself was at least sensible and coherent, but it isn’t.”
ABC News responded by pointing out that President Trump “promised $2,000 tariff ‘dividends,’ but they still haven’t materialized 10 months later.” In November 2025, Trump wrote on social media: “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!” and “A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”
A great way to close out Day 1 of the RNC midterm convention with remarks from President Donald Trump. I’m honored to spend the evening in the President’s Box, surrounded by leaders and patriots who are fighting for the future of our country. Grateful for this opportunity and… pic.twitter.com/VUPHEEqTdN
— Scott Singer (@ScottSingerUSA) September 10, 2026
[NOTE: Moskowitz is running for re-election in November against Trump-endorsed, former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer, who attended the midterm convention and sat in the President’s box (photos below) with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-FL), among others.]
Moreno announced on social media: “I will get a bill ready so that we can get the Trump Dividend passed immediately after the November 3rd election … because Republicans (and America) will win!”, to which Trump critic Chris Hayes of MS NOW replied, echoing Moskowitz, “Why wouldn’t you just pass it now?”