‘Trump dividend’ checks meet mounting GOP resistance

A growing number of Republicans are voicing early opposition or skepticism to President Donald Trump’s pledge to pay adults $5,000 if the GOP maintains control of Congress in the midterm elections.The promise, made at this week’s Republican midterm convention in Dallas, could cost more than $1 trillion and has immediately drawn concerns from fiscal hawks over the national debt and the potential for another massive injection of federal money to worsen inflation.The pushback could also pose a practical obstacle to making Trump’s promise a reality. Congress controls federal spending, meaning any plan requiring new funds would need lawmakers’ approval, even as the White House explores whether existing authorities or previously appropriated money could provide another path. Republican critics span the party’s ideological spectrum, ranging from the centrist Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to a conservative Freedom Caucus member to a possible 2028 presidential candidate.“Tax and spending decisions should be made based on the needs of the American people and the state of the economy,” said Collins, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. “They should not appear to be tied to election results.”Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), a Freedom Caucus member, expressed “serious concerns” over the national debt and the optics of “pay-to-play politics.”“Republicans should earn the support of the American people through good policy, not by promising another round of checks from Washington,” he added.Other Republican critics include Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), a possible 2028 White House contender, and Reps. David Schweikert (R-AZ) and Thomas Massie (R-KY). Massie is a frequent Trump critic who lost his primary to a Trump-backed challenger. Others, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), have appeared skeptical or declined to endorse the idea.Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) speaks at a meeting with Republican governors and President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 9, 2025, at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) “If you are getting surplus revenue, you should cut people’s tax and return it to the people,” DeSantis told reporters. “What I don’t think you want to do is borrow another $1.5 trillion, and then just try to flood that into the economy, because that will lead to more inflation. That will lead to more debt and more inflation.”WHITE HOUSE HONING IN ON VIABLE VEHICLE FOR TRUMP’S $5,000 DIVIDEND IN TALKS WITH LAWMAKERSTop Trump administration officials were in talks Friday about avenues outside of Congress to fund what the president dubbed “Trump dividend” payments that he suggested could stem, at least in part, from tariff revenue. The White House was engaging with Congress on both the value and how to make Trump’s promise become reality, according to a senior official.Trump, in the past, has teased individual rebate checks from Department of Government Efficiency cuts and tariff revenue for as much as $2,000, neither of which came to fruition. The Pentagon did give 1.45 million U.S. troops a one-time Christmas bonus last year for $1,776 to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary after the White House repurposed congressionally appropriated funds for troop housing.Christian Datoc contributed to this report.