President Donald Trump promised a $5,000 payment to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of Congress in the November midterm elections.
Trump announced the proposal during the Republican Party's first-ever midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 9, describing the payment as a dividend tied to the country's economic performance.
"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 told supporters at the American Airlines Center.
NEW: President Trump makes a major promise at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas: $5,000 for every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans win both the House and Senate in the midterms. “I will issue a dividend
to every adult citizen in the United States of America for… pic.twitter.com/XqiphY7y8a
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 10, 2026
Trump said the money would come with one condition: It would have to be spent in the United States.
"We don't want you to be going to Canada to spend the money," Trump said. "We don't want you going to China, to Germany. You got to spend the money in the United States."
Trump linked the proposed dividend to revenue collected from tariffs on imported goods.
The promise follows a similar proposal he made in late 2025 to provide Americans with $2,000 tariff dividend checks.Trump had said that the $2,000 payments would be sent out to Americans, "probably in the middle of next year (2026)."
The $5,000 payments would require congressional approval, and Trump did not provide detailed plans during his speech for how the program would be implemented.
"The reason the Democrats can't do that is because they don't do tariffs," Trump said.
In an interview with Fox News following Trump's remarks, Vice President JD Vance defended Trump’s $5,000 proposal by pointing to tariff revenue and saying Americans would share in the economic gains if Republicans remain in power.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Trump wants to offer $5,000 dividend. Could it actually happen?
