Trump promised $5,000 checks, but Johnson won't guarantee Congress will deliver
Welker: "Do you commit that if Republicans hold on to the House and Senate that Americans will get those $5,000 checks?"
— Bulwark Clips (@BulwarkClips) September 13, 2026
Speaker Johnson: "Congress will work through it and find consensus on that."
Welker: "President Trump promised that to voters, though. You are not willing to… pic.twitter.com/AesM51cyV6
WASHINGTON, DC: House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday, September 13, that he supports working on President Donald Trump's $5,000 promise to adult Americans after the midterms.
Covering roughly 240 to 270 million US adults, the $5,000 plan requires Congressional approval. However, Johnson refused to commit that the amount would definitely be dispensed once the GOP secures both chambers after the upcoming midterms.
President Trump announced a $5,000 "Trump dividend" to every American adult during a keynote address at the Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas, Texas.
Mike Johnson refuses to promise $5,000 through Congress
Appearing on NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday, Mike Johnson said Congress would “work through” the president’s promise but said that he would not give “big commitments.”
“I commit that Congress will work through it and find consensus on that, like I have to do everything else,” Johnson said when asked whether he would commit to carrying out Trump’s promise.
Johnson said “it takes some time,” pointing to Republicans’ slim majorities.
“I never go out and give big commitments on the front end because I’ve got to work through it, and that’s what we do every single day,” he said.
Host Kristen Welker pressed further, noting that Johnson was "not willing to double down" on the president's promise.
To which Johnson replied, “I’ll work with the president hand in hand, as I do all the time, and we’ll deliver for the American people.”
“That’s the promise,” he added.
What's Trump's $5,000 promise to Americans
During the GOP midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on September 9, President Trump announced a proposal to issue $5,000 checks to adult Americans if Republicans win the midterm election.
“So if the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000. It will be called the Trump dividend,” the president told attendees.
Asked later whether Congress would need to approve such a disbursement of funds, Trump told CBS News, “We think not,” but added: “I think they will do it if we needed it.”
However, the plan would only progress if Republicans secure both House and Senate majorities.
The other condition is that the $5,000 must be spent inside the United States.
Critics have characterized the president’s promise as an attempt to bribe voters and said that the move would drive up inflation.
