Trump Jokes $5,000 Payment May Buy Little at Mar-a-Lago

President Donald Trump joked at a rally in Corpus Christi, Texas, that his proposed $5,000 payment to adult U.S. citizens might buy only a hamburger and a small dessert at his Mar-a-Lago club, underscoring the gap between the pledge and the details needed to make it real. Trump told supporters they could visit the Florida club as his guests, then advised price-conscious people not to go there. His remarks drew laughter. The joke came as he promoted a payment he says would go to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate in the November 3 midterm elections. He has also said recipients would have to spend the money in the United States. The proposal has not been authorized, and the administration has not released a detailed payment process or timetable. Distributing $5,000 to an estimated 240 million eligible adults would cost about $1.2 trillion, according to an estimate cited in reports. That figure is an estimate, not an approved federal spending commitment. Trump has pointed to tariff revenue and economic growth as reasons the government could afford the payments, but no detailed funding plan has been provided. House Speaker Mike...