Republicans Lukewarm on Trump’s $5,000 Dividend Plan

U.S. President Donald Trump declared that if the Republican Party wins both the House and the Senate in the November midterm elections, he will provide $5,000 (approximately 6.7 million won) to every American citizen, but the response from within the Republican Party has been lukewarm.

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According to Bloomberg News on September 11 (local time), the top leadership in both the House and Senate showed little enthusiasm for President Trump’s pledge. Previously, during the first-ever Republican midterm election convention held in Dallas, Texas, President Trump stated in his speech, "If the Republican Party wins both the House and the Senate," adding, "I vow to distribute $5,000 in dividends to every adult citizen in America."

If President Trump’s plan moves forward as outlined, it is expected that this would require over $1 trillion in fiscal spending. However, the United States continues to struggle with persistent inflation and a national debt that has exceeded $40 trillion. As a result, borrowing costs for Americans have increased, as has the burden of living expenses.

Bloomberg especially pointed out that for this measure to pass Congress, it would likely require nearly unanimous support from Republican lawmakers. However, there are signs of a cold reception within the Republican Party. Senate Republican Whip John Thune avoided answering when asked whether the Senate would give its approval to this plan. In an interview with Fox News, he said, "That’s a good question," but added, "I’ll judge when the issue actually arises."

Republican Congressman Chip Roy also expressed opposition. On the social media platform X, he commented that implementing the $5,000 payment plan would require about $1.2 trillion, and remarked, "With that level of funding, we could nearly eliminate taxes over 10 years for couples with children making less than $200,000 annually."

Republican Senator Susan Collins from Maine also issued a statement, pointing out that "based on what has been made public so far, there are no income limitations, and it would result in a huge fiscal burden." She added, "Taxation and fiscal spending should be determined according to the needs of the people and the economic situation, not in a way that links them to election results."

On the other hand, Steve Scalise, the House Majority Leader and the number two in the House Republican leadership, told CBS News that the Republican Party would continue to pursue policies like President Trump’s $5,000 payout plan if the party maintains its majority in Congress. He commented, "It is Congress’s job to balance funding and expenditures and to work out the specific details."

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