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Trump’s plan for $5,000 checks meets pushback from Congress and economists
The president’s proposal to send direct payments to U.S. adults if Republicans win in November drew criticism over its cost, inflation risks and the White House’s lack of authority to do it without Congress.
Donald Trump’s proposal to send $5,000 checks to Americans if Republicans win the November midterms triggered swift backlash on Capitol Hill and among economists, NBC 6 South Florida reported.
The proposal was unveiled during a nearly two-hour speech in Dallas. According to the outlet, if Congress approved $5,000 payments for the country’s 270 million adults, the total cost would top $1.3 trillion.
The idea comes as the U.S. economy is still dealing with persistent inflation and higher interest rates. NBC 6 South Florida said the Treasury’s annual deficit is nearing $1.8 trillion, the national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, and interest costs for fiscal year 2026 are projected at about $1.27 trillion, roughly in line with the estimated cost of the plan.
Among Republicans, Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno said he would draft legislation to pursue the payments. But the proposal also drew criticism from within the party. Rep. Thomas Massie wrote on social media that he was insulted by the suggestion that a vote could be bought for $5,000 and warned about inflation.
Democrats also rejected the idea. Robert Garcia said the plan would not happen, while Ted Lieu mocked it with a sarcastic social media post.
Economists cited by NBC 6 South Florida also raised concerns. Michael Strain of the American Enterprise Institute compared the proposal to the 2021 relief payments approved under Joe Biden, but argued that a similar measure would be even more problematic in 2026 because inflation is already an issue. Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget likewise pointed to the deficit risk and said there are no fiscal surpluses to hand out.
According to the report, financial markets also appeared unimpressed: the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note rose above 4.9% on Thursday afternoon, a move that could push up borrowing costs for mortgages and auto loans.
The issue also put Trump allies in an awkward position after years of Republican attacks on Democratic spending. NBC 6 South Florida noted that Vice President JD Vance and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had recently blamed Biden for inflation, while Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said a strong economy is not built by giving things away and that taxpayers ultimately pay the bill.
Goldwein added that beyond the politics, the president does not have legal authority to send such payments on his own and would need Congress to pass a law.
Sources
About this piece. Written by El Notero with AI assistance, from reporting published by the outlet cited above. El Notero did no original reporting on this story.
