Trump made the remarks at a Republican Party meeting in Dallas, where he urged his supporters to treat the upcoming elections as though he himself were on the ballot, even though he will not be a candidate.
He said Americans would receive what he called a “Trump dividend” if Republican candidates win the elections.
“If Republicans win, it will be your victory too, and you will get $5,000. It will be called the Trump dividend,” Trump said.
The president did not explain where the money would come from or how the payments would be distributed. He only said that the United States was bringing in large amounts of money.
If implemented for all adult Americans, the proposed payment could cost the US government more than $1 trillion.
Trump urged his supporters to effectively vote for him by backing Republican candidates in the November 3 elections, arguing that their votes would help determine the direction of the country for years to come.
“I ask you to think of me as being on the ballot,” Trump said.
The proposal comes as Trump faces declining public confidence amid rising prices and the ongoing war involving the United States and Iran.
The US midterm elections are held halfway through a president’s four-year term. Unlike presidential elections, Americans do not vote for president during midterms. Instead, they elect members of Congress, including all members of the House of Representatives and a portion of the Senate, as well as various state and local officials.
The elections are widely viewed as a referendum on the performance of the president and the governing party. They can also significantly change the balance of power in Congress, either allowing the president’s party to retain control or leaving it without the majority needed to advance its legislative agenda.
Trump’s proposed $5,000 payment would therefore represent a major financial commitment for the US government, and its implementation would require further details on funding, eligibility and the legal and legislative process needed to establish such a program.
