Is Trump's $5,000 pledge a sign of panic?
Even by Trump's own unconventional standards, his promise to voters was bizarre, writes North America editor Sarah Smith.
President Donald Trump has pledged to give every American adult $5,000 if Republicans maintain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections. This promise has raised concerns regarding its legality, cost, and funding source. Federal law prohibits offering payments in exchange for votes and restricting promises of federal benefits in return for political support.
While Trump claims Congress may not need to approve the payments, it would still require congressional authorization as the U.S. Constitution mandates that the president cannot spend Treasury funds without an appropriation made by law. The proposal could cost approximately $1.384 trillion if offered to all U.S. adults aged 18 and over, or $1.27 trillion if restricted to U.S. citizens.
Given the current inflation rate of 3.4%, such payouts could exacerbate inflationary pressures. Furthermore, Trump's trade policies, particularly tariffs, have already shown limited effectiveness and may not provide sufficient revenue to fund this promise. Democratic leaders have strongly criticized the proposal, labeling it a "corrupt" attempt to buy votes and accusing Trump of contributing to a ballooning national debt.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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