President Donald Trump’s brazen scheme to buy his way through the midterms has triggered a Republican revolt.
The 80-year-old president unveiled the desperate move during his speech at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Wednesday, promising to pay a $5,000 “dividend” to every adult American if the GOP retains its control of both chambers of Congress after the midterm elections.
But Trump’s dubious payout promise hasn’t even won over his own party, with Republicans bristling at the idea of dangling a $5,000 carrot in front of voters—and the inflation it could unleash if it were to really happen.
“I would personally throw everything of my heart and soul to stop it, because it would actually do more damage to working people than would ever help them,” Rep. David Schweikert, an Arizona Republican who is leaving Congress next year, told Reuters.
“It would continue to raise interest rates,” he added. “It would be on their own credit card and would bring the interest rate death spiral sooner to the United States.”
GOP Rep. Chip Roy, a fiscal conservative from Texas, bristled at the president’s proposal in two different X posts.
“$5000 dividend for every adult citizen - it’s (back envelope) an FY27 cost of $1.2T,” Roy pointed out. “Dear certain friends… deficits aside - you could almost ZERO out taxes for married parents of dependents up to $200,000 over 10 years!”
The 54-year-old congressman later fired back at a post from MAGA strategist Clint Brown that justified the cash giveaway, writing, “Maybe some of us think dependency is evil & soul-sucking in all its forms.”
GOP rebel Thomas Massie chimed in with his own takedown.
“I don’t know about you all, but frankly I’m insulted by the notion that my vote this November could be bought for 5k. Not to mention the inflation this would cause,” the Kentucky congressman wrote on X before joking, “All things considered, I cannot in good conscience accept a penny less than 10k!”
Meghan McCain took a jab at Republicans who jumped aboard Trump’s plan.
“Pretty wild experience to see former tea party leaders now supporting a 5k dividend (that’s going to come out of our kids and grand kids future) to every single breathing American,” the conservative podcaster posted.
Former congressman Bob Good, who served as chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, called it a “socialist vote-buying scheme.”
“Sadly, most ‘conservatives’ don’t even know (or care) that the president doesn’t have the constitutional authority to spend $$, or send out ‘dividend’ checks without Congress. But he said last night ‘only I can do it,’” the former Virginia congressman wrote.
Former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also drew a line from the cash giveaway to socialism.
“Last week Republicans voted to condemn socialism, and this week the VP rolls out a $9,000 welfare plan for stay at home parents and POTUS promises $5,000 checks, costing approx $1.6 trillion, if Americans vote for Republicans. No matter which party you vote for you get socialism,” she wrote.
Other Republicans have greeted Trump’s cash bribe with open arms. Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno declared on X that he would “get a bill ready” to get the dividend “passed immediately” after the election.
When reached for comment, White House spokesman Davis Ingle ignored the so-called “Trump dividends” completely, instead lavishing praise on Trump and lashing out at the “doomers and naysayers” who have questioned him.
“With the continued support of the American people, President Trump will keep delivering real results,” he said.
