OPINION: As we inch ever closer to November’s mid-term elections, every vote becomes increasingly more important for political leaders on both ends of the spectrum. In the midst of this buildup, President Donald Trump announced he will be giving out a $5000 dividend check to every American adult. The only caveat: the Republican Party must retain control of the House and Senate.
Trump’s decision would cost the U.S. over $1 trillion and would need to be approved by Congress in order to actually come to fruition. With many critics questioning the legality of this move as well as the finances behind it, the likelihood of the check actually coming to be seems bleak.
One of the most important details when considering this check is the U.S. national debt, which, in its simplest form, is how much the government spends annually versus what it brings in. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, as it currently stands, the U.S. national debt is over $40 trillion dollars. Trump’s dividend threatens to add over $1 trillion dollars toward that debt, on its own.
That total is significant for many reasons. For starters, we have to pay interest on the national debt, and with more money in people’s pockets causing increased spending, inflation is going to grow, and subsequently interest rates are going to grow with it. Meaning, interest expenses are going to take up more of the U.S. annual budget, causing less spending on things like education, infrastructure and national defense.
Furthermore, higher interest rates make it more expensive and harder for the average person to borrow money. This will show up in things like higher mortgage and private student loan rates, which will become increasingly expensive and take up a greater share of the average person’s budget.
Trump’s Vice President J.D. Vance has suggested the administration may use tariff revenue to pay for these dividend checks; however, the numbers simply don’t add up, as the $330 million made in revenue from tariffs during Trump’s second term would only account for a fraction of the total cost of these checks.
Aside from the looming financial concerns associated with these proposed checks, many question their overall legality. Critics have jumped to detest the president’s proposal.
“Donald Trump now wants to buy your vote with $5,000 in taxpayer-funded blood money,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom on X. “[Trump’s] The most corrupt man ever to occupy the Oval Office.”
During a congressional meeting on Sept. 15, 2026, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett also stated, “Some who know the law may say that, well, it’s against the law. Some who don’t know the law would actually say it as well.” Later, saying in that same meeting, “It sounds like a bribe, because it is a bribe. In fact, we call it vote buying.”
While the legality of Trump’s proposed checks may still be up for contention, one can certainly question the morality of the situation. When asked on Fox News why he wouldn’t just give out the money now, as the Republicans currently hold control of the House and Senate, the president gave no clear answer, instead choosing to blame the Democrats.
I think it’s important to note that this new proposed check isn’t completely bad. It would certainly prove helpful to many lower-income families struggling to pay for necessities such as food, clothing and rent. However, a one-time payment can only stretch so far towards fixing a deeper-rooted economic issue. Furthermore, the inflationary measures that often follow checks like these would likely prove to do more harm than good, in the long run, for families living paycheck to paycheck.
In terms of Trump’s newly proposed dividend check, I believe that all the evidence shows that the good does not outweigh the bad, and like the $2000 dividend check Trump guaranteed last year, we are likely looking at another empty promise.
