Trump Pledges $5,000 Payout to U.S. Adults if Republicans Win Midterms

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday a pledge to pay $5,000 to every adult American citizen if the Republican Party secures victories in both houses of Congress in the upcoming November midterm elections. The controversial proposal, estimated to cost over $1.3 trillion, would require the funds to be spent exclusively within the United States. Democrats quickly dismissed the promise as "empty talk," and experts have raised doubts about its legality, citing federal laws that prohibit payments intended to influence voting.

The announcement came amid rising prices in the U.S., partly attributed to the war initiated by Israel and the U.S. against Iran in February. Tehran's response included attacks on U.S. bases and allies in the Gulf, and crucially, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and natural gas transport. This blockade caused global oil price fluctuations, placing Trump under pressure from his party to end the conflict. Trump warned supporters that the war would not conclude before the midterms and oil prices would not decrease by then, stating that short-term economic pain was acceptable to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

Speaking at a presidential midterm conference in Dallas, Texas, Trump reiterated his promise, stating, "If the Republicans win the House and the Senate in the U.S., both of them, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the U.S. of $5,000." He emphasized that the money must be spent domestically, adding, "We don't want you to go to Canada to spend the money, we don't want you to go to China, to Germany. You have to spend the money in the U.S."

This is not the first time Trump has proposed such payments; he previously suggested $2,000 checks funded by tariffs. Election law experts noted that Trump's pledge might be considered a legal tax cut or fall under First Amendment free speech protections, although congressional approval would typically be required for such expenditures. Trump referred to these potential payments as "Trump dividends."