The condition is an electoral victory for Trump's Republicans in the midterm elections in November and continued control of Congress. Then all adult Americans will receive $5,000, equivalent to approximately SEK 48,000, Trump promised in a speech at the Republican convention in Dallas.
The business-oriented Trump likened it to profitable companies' stock dividends for their owners.
The move comes with less than two months to go before the election and with headwinds in public opinion for Republicans - and the president himself. It's also a potentially high-stakes gamble at a time of persistent inflation, rising interest costs and skyrocketing fuel prices.
“Never gets off”
Trump, meanwhile, has a history of making similar promises. Last year, he promised both $2,000 and $5,000 in payments, paid for by revenue from tariffs and government cuts. But the promises were never fulfilled.
Donald Trump is a known liar. He is the biggest liar to ever be in power. Period,” said Congressman and Democrat Robert Garcia, according to the AP news agency.
The dividend never comes out.
Republican Senator Bernie Moreno, on the other hand, welcomes the idea and wants to draft a bill for the payments. Other politicians accuse the president of trying to buy votes.
"Frankly, I am offended by the idea that my vote in November could be bought," Republican Thomas Massie, who has often clashed with Trump, wrote on social media.
Democrat Ted Lieu jokes that "a $10,000 dividend, a pony and free ice cream for the rest of your life" await if the Democrats take power.
Risk of inflation
The proposal would cost more than $1.3 trillion - close to SEK 12.6 trillion - if Congress approved payments to the country's approximately 270 million adults, writes AP.
The Treasury Department already has an annual deficit of nearly $1.8 trillion, and the total national debt exceeded $40 trillion earlier this year.
Michael Strain, senior economist at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, likens it to a worse version of former President Joe Biden's $1,400 stimulus package during the COVID-19 pandemic. The inflation risks are significant, he told the AP:
Trump would pour gasoline on glowing bits of inflation and hope it wouldn't catch fire.
