Topline
President Donald Trump said Thursday he does not think he will need congressional approval to send out $5,000 “dividend” checks he has promised to Americans if Republicans win the House and Senate in November.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on stage on the first day of the 2026 Republican National Convention at the American Airlines Center on September 09, 2026 in Dallas, Texas.
Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump told CBS News on Thursday his administration does not think it will need Congress to vote on the checks, adding, “I think they will do it if we needed it, but we think not.”
The House and Senate are both controlled by Republicans, though Democrats are heavily favored to win the House come November, with the Senate essentially a tossup, according to prediction markets.
Trump on Wednesday said all adult U.S. citizens would receive $5,000 if Republicans maintain control of Congress, saying the payments could be done because “we’ve done so well and our country is making so much money.”
Contra
The Constitution gives Congress authority over spending, suggesting the checks would need to make their way through the House and Senate, which Republicans hold slim majorities in, despite what Trump claimed. A supermajority of 60 votes is needed to advance most legislation, though Reuters reported Republicans could invoke a “complex budget process” to bypass Democrats and greenlight the bill along party lines, noting Republicans have successfully used that same method twice during Trump’s second term.
Chief Critic
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who has become an increasingly vocal opponent of Trump’s, said he was “insulted by the notion that my vote this November could be bought for 5k.” He also voiced inflationary concerns around the potential checks.
Big Number
Over $1 trillion. That is how much the checks would cost, according to multiple outlets, with The New York Times noting estimates from economists have found the checks would worsen the federal budget deficit of about $2 trillion and the $40 trillion national debt.
Tangent
In addition to the $5,000 checks, Trump said Thursday his administration would send $500 “rebate checks” to people who he said were “wrongly overcharged through Obamacare.” The White House claimed nearly 1 million eligible people in 30 states using the federal healthcare.gov system will receive refunds.
Key Background
Trump has repeatedly proposed giving checks to Americans since taking office last year—four times to be exact. None of the proposals have materialized into payouts for Americans as the president has boasted about the roughly $300 billion in revenue his controversial tariff policy has generated. Last year, he claimed federal revenues collected from tariffs would fund $2,000 rebate checks for Americans, though estimations from the Yale University found they would cost almost twice as much as what was collected in tariffs.
Further Reading
Trump Keeps Promising Cash To Americans—But They Haven’t Gotten Any (Forbes)
Trump Promises $5,000 ‘Dividend’ For Every Adult Citizen If Republicans Win Midterms (Forbes)
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