Johnson Says Trump's $5,000 Checks Need Congressional Approval

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that President Donald Trump's proposed $5,000 payments to American adults would require congressional approval, a position that contrasts with the president's own assertion that such approval would likely not be needed. The proposal, which Trump has dubbed the "Trump Dividend," is conditional on Republicans retaining control of Congress after the November midterm elections. In separate interviews on NBC's "Meet the Press" and CNN's "State of the Union," Johnson characterized the plan as a "creative idea" but emphasized the legislative process ahead. "I would assume yes, he'd need Congress to act," Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper. "Of course, the devil's in the details. We have to figure all that out." The proposal was announced by Trump at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas last week. Trump told reporters afterward that congressional approval would likely not be necessary, stating, "Well, we think not. I think they will do it if we needed it. But we think not." The conflicting statements from the two top Republican leaders highlight a key dispute over the plan's feasibility.