President Donald Trump has pledged to issue a $5,000 “dividend” to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections, unveiling a proposal that could become one of the largest direct-payment programmes in recent U.S. history.
Trump announced the proposal on September 9 during the opening night of the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas.
He described the payment as a dividend arising from what he characterized as the country’s economic strength and success under his administration.
The president compared the proposal to a company distributing cash to its shareholders.
He also said the money would have to be spent inside the United States, although his announcement did not provide a detailed timetable, eligibility framework or mechanism for distributing the funds.
The proposed payment is expected to carry a substantial price tag. Reuters reported that Trump’s plan would apply to adult citizens, while estimates from other analyses have placed the potential cost at more than $1 trillion.
Based on approximately 240 million adult U.S. citizens, a $5,000 payment would amount to about $1.2 trillion.
One of the central questions is how the government would finance the programme.
Trump has linked the proposal partly to revenue generated by tariffs imposed by his administration. Vice President JD Vance has also pointed to tariff revenue as a possible source.
However, available tariff collections have raised questions about whether they would be sufficient.
CBS News reported that the United States had collected about $210 billion in gross tariff and other excise taxes in 2026 at the time of its analysis, substantially below the amount required for $5,000 payments to every adult citizen.
The government has also faced tariff refunds following court decisions involving some of the administration’s tariffs.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, appearing before Congress on September 15, defended the administration’s proposal and said there could be a way to make the payments without adding to the national debt, although he did not provide a detailed financing mechanism.
Another major issue is congressional authority. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said the proposed dividend would require approval from Congress, contradicting suggestions that the administration could implement the payments without legislative action.
The proposal also comes after Trump previously discussed other forms of direct payments.
In 2025, he promoted a $2,000 tariff-funded “dividend” for Americans, while a separate proposal envisioned payments based on savings associated with the Department of Government Efficiency. Neither proposal resulted in the promised nationwide cash payment.
For now, the $5,000 dividend remains a proposal rather than an approved federal programme.
Its future would depend on the outcome of the November elections, congressional action, the availability of funding and the legal and administrative framework ultimately developed by the U.S. government.
