Donald Trump Says He'll Issue $5,000 Dividend to Every Adult American If GOP Wins Congress, Critics Call It 'Desperate Gimmick'

President Donald Trump proposed giving American adults a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans maintain control of Congress in November, and critics were quick to call it a bribe.

Announced during Trump’s nearly two-hour speech on the first night of the Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas, the payment would be conditioned on the GOP retaining both the House and Senate. Recipients would also have to spend the money in the United States. Congress would likely need to authorize the plan, which some estimates place at roughly $1.3 trillion.

ABC News pressed Trump on whether the proposal was intended to drive turnout and why it was necessary if his economic policies were succeeding.

“I think what you're going to do — I didn't do it for turning out the vote, I did it as a reward for people having to put up with five years — four years of horrible situation caused by Biden,” Trump said.

The president said “tremendous growth” would cover the cost. A White House release suggested the money could come from corporate commitments to invest in the private sector, though how exactly remains unclear.

“Promises are always contingent on winning the election. It’s not clear why this is any more of a ‘bribe’ than promising Medicare for All,” said Quentin Langley of Quentin Langley Associates.

“But Republicans control Congress right now. If this is a good policy why not adopt it now?” Langley asked.

“It’s hard to believe this is a sincere offer,” he added. “The debt is over $40 trillion and getting worse.”

On Fox News, Bret Baier told Vice President JD Vance that critics would characterize the proposal as “bribing voters” while risking renewed inflation. Vance defended it as a “dividend for American workers” funded by tariff revenue and economic gains.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of “trying to bribe the American people for their votes.” Outgoing Republican Rep. Thomas Massie also objected, writing on X, “Frankly, I'm insulted by the notion that my vote this November could be bought for 5k.”

“Perhaps we can put the checks with the ones we got from DOGE and from the tariffs,” Langley joked.

Trump proposed a $2,000 tariff-funded rebate in November 2025, but those payments were not made.

Estimates for tariff revenue, meanwhile, vary from nearly $200 billion to $300 billion. That windfall is slowing, however, as repayments to companies go out following a Supreme Court ruling striking down certain new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.