Trump renews $5,000 payment pledge tied to midterms

President Donald Trump renewed a proposal to pay $5,000 to adult U.S. citizens if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the 2026 midterm elections, a pledge he promoted in a social-media video posted October 12. The proposal has not been authorized by Congress, and no payment schedule or detailed eligibility rules have been announced, according to reporting on its status. Trump said the payments would be possible because of tariff revenue and economic growth, and presented them as a benefit of Republican leadership. He also claimed Democrats would raise taxes and predicted their victory would bring an economic depression. Those remarks were political claims; he provided no economic analysis for the depression forecast in an October 3 video, according to the reporting. The funding mechanism remains unsettled. Treasury Counselor David Zervos said there was no specific plan yet, while suggesting that revenue growth over several years could contribute. Trump has separately pointed to tariffs and economic activity as potential sources. Neither account describes an enacted financing plan.