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US President Donald Trump has promised to pay every adult American $5,000 if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress in the November 2026 midterm elections.
Trump made the pledge on Wednesday while addressing the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, where he sought to rally support for Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 elections.
The proposed payment, which Trump referred to as a “dividend,” would potentially cost the US government about $1.3 trillion if it were extended to roughly 260 million adults, based on the adult population recorded in the 2020 US Census.
What they are saying
“If the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump told a roaring crowd, during a nearly two-hour-long speech in which he also urged voters to “pretend that I’m on the ballot” – despite his historic unpopularity causing many vulnerable Republican politicians to avoid the event.
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Surrounded by supporters waving American flag placards, Trump claimed, without evidence, that his second term had been “the most successful two years, financially and every other way, in the history of the presidency”, but devoted much of his speech to fearmongering about what would happen should Democrats win the House or the Senate for the final two years of his
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the US government issued stimulus payments to eligible Americans, including $1,200 payments under the first round of economic relief in 2020. Trump’s signature appeared on checks issued during that period.
Last year, Trump also proposed a $2,000 “tariff dividend” for Americans, linking the proposed payments to revenue generated from his administration’s tariffs. That payment was not implemented.
Get up to speed
During his appearance in Dallas, Trump also said oil prices would fall sharply after the midterm elections.
- He also said the war with Iran, which has entered its seventh month, would end “immediately after the election.”
On April 2, 2026, oil prices rose more than 5% after Trump said the United States would continue its military offensive against Iran for another two to three weeks.
- The move followed a televised address in which Trump provided an update on US and Israeli military operations against Iran, which had then been underway for 32 days.
- On August 3, Brent crude futures fell about 7% to $82 a barrel after Trump said he had agreed to cancel a planned major attack on Iran and pursue discussions with his advisers on the conflict. The prospect of renewed talks raised expectations that an agreement could eventually reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reduce the risk of prolonged supply disruptions.
Nigerian crude also declined, after trading above $85 a barrel during the period of heightened tensions.
What you should know
The Trump administration had earlier sought more than $1.4 billion from Congress to help contain the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa and reduce the risk of the virus reaching the United States.
The request, disclosed in June, formed part of a broader supplemental funding package submitted by the White House. About $800 million was earmarked for humanitarian and outbreak-response efforts, including a quarantine facility in Kenya, medical supplies and infection-control measures.
Another $500 million was proposed for global health security, including disease surveillance and international coordination, while about $90 million was allocated for diplomatic activities such as the evacuation of Americans exposed to the virus.
