Trump offers every American adult $US5000 if Republicans win midterms

US President Donald Trump has pledged to send every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the midterm elections. According to The Korea Times, Trump made the announcement at the GOP's midterm convention in Dallas, likening the payments to a corporation's distributions to shareholders, citing "our tremendous strength and success economically." He referred to it as the "Trump Dividend."

The proposal has been met with skepticism, with Democrats dismissing it as an election stunt that Trump would not honour. This sentiment was echoed by multiple outlets, including The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, who pointed to previous plans to give Americans tariff dividends or distribute savings made by DOGE. The Korea Times noted that the plan would likely cost over $1 trillion, require congressional approval, and exacerbate the country's budget deficit and inflation concerns.

Vice President JD Vance attempted to walk back Trump's proposal, suggesting that the dividend payments would not go to the wealthy and could be paid for by US tariff revenues. However, the suggested payment dwarfs what the US has taken in through protectionist measures. The proposal has also sparked accusations of bribery and vote buying online, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Korea Times, The Age, Hindustan Times - World News, DW English (Top Stories) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.