Trump's $5,000 checks require Congress to approve, Johnson says
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House Speaker Mike Johnson. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
President Trump's proposal to send adult U.S. citizens $5,000 dividend checks would require congressional approval, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on Sunday.
Why it matters: Trump and his top officials claim they can send the checks without Congress — even with the prospect of them costing upward of $1.3 trillion.
What they're saying: "He'd need Congress to act," Johnson said in a CNN interview.
- Johnson told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week": "The question is, how do you pay for it? How do you be able to pass the legislation to put more money back in the pockets of hard-working Americans? That's the objective. We should all be wanting to do that, to put the issue of affordability front and center and ease the burden on Americans."
- Asked by NBC's ""Meet the Press" if he'd commit that the checks will be sent, Johnson said "I commit that Congress will work through it and find consensus on that like they have to do everything else."
Driving the news: President Trump, at the GOP's midterm convention in Dallas, said this week he'd order a $5,000 check — a "Trump Dividend" — if Republicans retained control of the House and the Senate.
- Trump and other officials have said the dividend would be funded by tariffs, gains on investments and other income.
- The president told reporters before departing Ireland on Sunday that "the $5,000 checks are going forward" and that he had thought of this plan "a while ago."
- When a reporter asked why not do the checks now instead of after the midterm elections, given Republicans currently control Congress, Trump replied: "Because if the Democrats get in, our country will be in shambles."
The big picture: Such a massive stimulus also comes with significant economic risks, both to the deficit and inflation.
- The idea has already met bipartisan opposition, though Trump has insisted the offer and the checks will happen.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout.
