The Trump dividend: What $5,000 would cost and what it could cover

President Trump has promised a $5,000 (€4,290) payment to every adult citizen in the United States if his party retains control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The proposal, dubbed the "Trump dividend," could cost nearly $1.2 trillion (€1.03 trillion), surpassing the Pentagon’s full 2026 budget request. This would exceed the amount allocated for the entire Pentagon budget for 2026, which is $961 billion (€825 billion), according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The exact cost would depend on whether the payment is limited to registered voters or all adult citizens. Giving every adult $5,000 would cost approximately $1.2 trillion, which is $220 billion more than the Pentagon’s 2026 budget. If restricted to registered voters, the cost would be around $870 billion (€747 billion). This payment would provide adults with more money than they received during Trump's first term in two rounds of direct federal payments.

The average US household spent $78,535 (€67,400) in 2024, or $6,545 (€5,620) monthly. Two $5,000 payments would cover around four months of housing costs or 18 months of healthcare spending. Critics argue that the proposal would be fiscally irresponsible, given the country’s national debt of over $40 trillion (€34.3 trillion) and a budget deficit of nearly $1.8 trillion (€1.54 trillion).

Financing the payments remains uncertain, with some suggesting they could be funded through US tariffs, though this would also fall short of the $1.2 trillion cost.