Donald Trump promised on Sunday that Americans will receive a $5K check, but only if Republicans hold Congress after the midterms. Speaking to reporters outside Air Force One, the president said the dividend payments are guaranteed under one condition: his party keeps its majority.
Donald Trump says $5K checks are ‘100%’ happening
Trump tied the payout to the ballot box. “The $5,000 is going to happen 100 percent,” he said. “And the reason is because our country is taking in trillions and trillions of dollars. And it’s going to happen.” He then explained why he won’t act now. “I don’t want to do it now, because if the Democrats get it, our country will be in shambles and they won’t be able to do it,” Trump said. He added that a Democratic victory would throw “all of that money” away.
The president first pitched the idea on Wednesday at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention. He compared the plan to the $1,776 checks that went to U.S. service members last year, saying he has absorbed similar criticism before.
Moreover, the catch is legal, not just political. Congress holds the power of the purse, so the White House cannot send payments without lawmakers approving funds. White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett floated a reconciliation package as one possible route. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the dividends would not depend on taxpayer dollars. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) announced he would introduce a bill to force the checks through.
The money question remains open. Paul Berman, a professor at George Washington University Law School, told The Hill that tariff revenue cannot cover the roughly $1.3 trillion price tag. Tariffs brought in about $341 billion in net revenue since early 2025, according to Treasury data cited by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The Supreme Court later struck down the administration’s tariffs and ordered a $166 billion refund.
