President Donald Trump's administration is distributing $90 checks to millions of seniors this month. It is far from his first vow to send cash to Americans, but his similar past promises have not always materialized.
More than 20 million Medicare B enrollees across all 50 states are set to receive the $90 payments in the coming days. The checks are intended to help pay for Part B premiums and are being paid for from a fund earmarked by Congress in 2008, the White House said.
It comes as affordability proves to be a key issue for many voters in the midterm elections, which are less than a month away.
In recent weeks, the president has expanded efforts to distribute cash to Americans, even pledging to send $5,000 checks to adults if Republicans
keep control of Congress, a proposal some have called an inappropriate bribe for votes.
But Trump's latest efforts echo similar previous vows from the president that haven't come to fruition. Here's what happened in the past.
When have Trump's payment promises materialized?
In addition to the $90 payments for eligible Medicare beneficiaries, here's a look at other times Trump's administration has sent payments to Americans:
- $500 Affordable Care Act refunds: Beginning Sept. 30, nearly 1 million Americans in 30 states who used Healthcare.gov received $500 payments. The Trump administration said those who got a check were overcharged by fees through the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange for buying health insurance.
- Trump Accounts: The investment accounts, essentially an IRA for kids, include a $1,000 deposit for children born between 2025 and 2028. The accounts, which went live in July, are administered by parents until the child turns 18. As of July 6, Trump said 6 million children had Trump Accounts.
- Military bonus: In December 2025, all military members received $1,776 in bonuses. While Trump initially said the funds would come from tariff revenue, the checks were paid for with Defense Department funding as appropriated from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."
Trump's past unfulfilled dividend pledges
But Trump's pledges have not always meant money in Americans' pockets.
While it remains to be seen whether $5,000 checks tied to the outcome of the midterms – which critics have denounced as illegal – materialize, here's a look at other times Trump has not followed through on payment promises:
- $2,000 dividends: For months in 2025, Trump discussed a plan to give $2,000 dividends to some Americans using tariff revenue. He said at one point that the checks would go out in mid-2026, but the payments never materialized.
- DOGE stimulus checks: In early 2025, Trump's since-dismantled Department of Government Efficiency also floated the idea of $5,000 stimulus checks funded by the agency's accrued savings. Those dividends also never arrived, and DOGE officially shut down earlier this year.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Did you actually get paid? Tracking Trump's cash promises to Americans
