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President Donald Trump’s promise of a hefty payout for all Americans if Republicans win big in the midterm elections is taking heat from Democratic lawmakers who blast the vow as a “hysterical” lie and unlawful bribe.
“I think it’s hysterical,” Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Penn., said about the promise. “Literally, I think, it’s insane. It’s effectively a proposed bribe of the American people that we can’t afford.”
“This is just fantasy land, right?” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital. “$5,000 checks, plus, you know, puppies and rainbows and ponies.”
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President Donald Trump is betting that the promise of a $5,000 check will resonate with voters as Republicans make their closing pitch to keep control of Congress. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
He continued, “The president will make any promises he can.”
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., waved off Fox News Digital when asked about the checks, declining to comment.
Trump pledged to issue the $5,000 dividend during his speech at the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month — as long as the GOP wins to keep control of both the Senate and the House in November.
“$5,000 to gain a majority?” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., said. “He already has the Senate and the House and the White House, and it’s been an unmitigated disaster.”
“It’s just a campaign promise that he’s trying to make to the American public, because he knows he’s underwater, and he’s not doing well and people are angry,” Aguilar said.
Most Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital about the payments waved off the president’s $5,000 pledge as a “lie” and argued it’s something Americans have heard from him before.
“If you have an opportunity to provide relief to the American people, you should take it,” Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas said. “But lying to Americans around election season, what the president has done numerous times, I think it’s sad and shameful.”
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He continued, “I can guarantee you those checks ain’t happening.”
“I think it’s one more lie, and people aren’t going to fall for this,” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said.
It’s not just Democratic lawmakers who disagree with Trump’s idea. Many Republicans have also been vocal about their outright opposition, with others questioning whether it could actually be achieved or approved by Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said last week congressional approval would be necessary.
“You’ve already seen House Republicans and Capitol Hill Republicans say that this isn’t going to happen,” Aguilar said. “It’s just a campaign promise that he’s trying to make to the American public, because he knows he’s underwater, and he’s not doing well and people are angry.”
“He’s done this before,” Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said. “He’s never followed through on it. If he does follow through, how are we gonna do it?”
The payments to 240 million Americans would cost the federal government roughly $1.2 trillion. Trump brushed off affordability criticism of the pledge, saying the U.S. could “easily” afford the payouts.
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President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally with North Carolina Republican Senate candidate, former RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, at Gastonia Municipal Airport on Sept. 16, 2026, in Gastonia, N.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Vice President JD Vance suggested one source for the money could come from tariff revenue. He also proposed excluding wealthy Americans from receiving the payout to make the pledge’s price tag more feasible.
Democrats also scrutinized Trump’s prioritization, urging the president to shift his focus to deliverables for the American people — particularly emphasizing healthcare.
“I’d rather give people their healthcare and their food assistance back,” Subramanyam said. “That’d be way more than $5,000 for most people.”
“If he really cared about the American people, he would have made sure they had healthcare,” Alsobrooks said.
Warnock even blamed Trump’s policies for being the reason Americans would need the $5,000 check.
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“The only reason why Americans would need $5,000 is because of Trump’s awful policies,” Warnock said. “He should fix his policies. He shouldn’t wait until after the election.”