
President Donald Trump says he believes he can send $5k “Trump Dividend” payments to American citizens without congressional approval. The ex-businessman is doubling down on a proposal he unveiled this week. He shared it during a Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
Donald Trump drops update on $5K payment
Donald Trump made the assertion a day after he stunned a Dallas crowd by unveiling the proposal at the first-ever Republican midterm convention at the American Airlines Center. The president was asked whether Congress would need to approve the payments.
Trump answered, “Well, we think not. I think they will do it if we needed it. But we think not. The country is doing so well, we’ve taken in trillions of dollars in tariffs and other things,” Trump said. “We have now over $20 trillion worth of manufacturing plants and other investments being made in the United States, which is far greater than ever before.”
He added one condition: recipients must spend the money at home. “We do have one proviso, and that’s that the money be spent… people spend their money in the United States,” he said. Further sharing, “We don’t want to have that money spent in other countries. We think it’s something that’s really good, popular and it’s a great infusion.”
Trump’s confidence collides with the Constitution, which hands Congress the power of the purse. No clear legal authority exists for a president to send out payments of this size on his own. The price tag could climb past $1 trillion. Vice President JD Vance floated tariff revenue as a funding source after Trump’s speech (via Fox News). But the math falls far short.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the government has collected $167 billion in tariffs this fiscal year, which ends September 30, and it’s nowhere near enough. The CBO also projects a $2.1 trillion deficit this year, with the gap widening as the population ages (via Reuters).
However, Trump tied the $5k payment to the midterms, saying they would go out if Republicans hold the House and Senate. Several GOP members have warmed to the idea, though others voice skepticism.
The post Donald Trump Says He Could Send $5,000 Payments Without Congress Approval appeared first on Reality Tea.
from Reality Tea https://www.realitytea.com/2026/09/11/donald-trump-5k-payment-congress-approval-update/










