Trump pledges $5,000 to every adult American if Republicans win November elections

What the report says

US President Donald Trump has promised to send every adult American a $5,000 payment if Republicans win both chambers of Congress in November’s midterm elections, a proposal he described as a “dividend” during a Republican convention speech in Dallas, Texas. The BBC says the announcement was made at the party’s first convention held in the middle of a presidential term.

According to the report, the idea would cost about $1.3 trillion based on roughly 270 million adults in the United States. Trump did not explain how the payments would be financed or how the plan would operate, beyond saying the money would need to be spent in the US. The article notes that he has previously floated smaller payments, including proposed $2,000 checks tied to tariff revenues.

The pledge drew immediate criticism from Democrats, who called it empty, while legal and policy questions were also raised. BBC reporting says federal law generally bars payments intended to influence voting, though some experts suggested Trump’s proposal could be framed as a tax cut or protected political speech. Congress would normally have to approve federal spending, and Trump did not say whether he would seek that approval.

The promise comes against a backdrop of rising prices and broader political pressure over US policy toward the war with Iran, which the BBC says has affected global oil markets. More broadly, the announcement highlights how economic relief proposals have become part of US election campaigning, especially as both parties court voters with promises of financial benefits.