Trump Renews $5,000 Check Pledge Tied to GOP Midterm Wins as $90 Medicare Payments Reach Millions of Seniors

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is again promising $5,000 payments to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans keep control of Congress in November. At the same time, his administration has begun sending far smaller payments to millions of Medicare beneficiaries weeks before the midterm elections.

Trump renewed his proposed "Trump Dividend" in a video posted to Truth Social on Saturday, weeks after first unveiling the idea at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

"If Republicans win the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 Midterm Elections, I'm going to give all Adult Citizens in the United States of America, $5,000," Trump said.

Unlike the Medicare payments now going out, the $5,000 proposal has no approved funding and would require approval from Congress.

A $1.2 trillion price tag

The cost of the proposal would be enormous. With roughly 240 million adult U.S. citizens, payments of $5,000 each would total about $1.2 trillion.

Trump has suggested that revenue from tariffs could help pay for the checks but has not released a detailed funding plan. The nonpartisan fact-checking site FactCheck.org calculated that, at current levels, tariff revenue would take more than six years to cover a $1.2 trillion payout.

The proposal has drawn criticism from both parties. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland has called it a "political bribe." Republican Rep. David Schweikert of Arizona has opposed the plan, citing concerns about its effect on federal finances and interest rates.

The federal government is already running large deficits, and long-term borrowing costs have risen sharply this year, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note reaching its highest level since 2002 last week.

Supporters of the idea argue that direct payments would help families struggling with the high cost of living and return money from tariffs to taxpayers.

$90 Medicare payments arrive

While the $5,000 payments remain a campaign promise, the administration has started distributing smaller one-time payments to Medicare beneficiaries.

More than 20 million eligible Medicare Part B enrollees will receive $90 each to help offset premium costs. The payments are funded through the Medicare Improvement Fund, a roughly $2 billion fund created by Congress in 2008.

Most eligible beneficiaries will receive the money by direct deposit in early October, while others will receive paper checks.

Medicare Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care and other services. Premiums for the program have risen in recent years, adding pressure on older Americans living on fixed incomes.

$500 Obamacare refund checks

The administration has also begun mailing $500 refund checks to nearly 1 million people who bought unsubsidized health insurance through the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace in 30 states.

The money comes from a $500 million pool of excess user fees that the government collected from insurers, which officials say were passed on to consumers through higher premiums. The checks are being sent with letters signed by Trump.

"That money belongs to hard-working Americans, not the Government," Trump wrote in the letter.

A Reuters analysis found that $339 million, or 71%, of the refund money is going to residents of 13 states with some of the most competitive Senate and governor's races this year. Eligibility is based on insurance status, not voting history.

Critics have argued the payments are small compared with the rising cost of health coverage after enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of 2025.

"This $500 gimmick won't even begin to dig them out of the hole," said Brad Woodhouse of the health care advocacy group Protect Our Care.

Timing draws scrutiny

The payments and promises come less than a month before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, in which control of both the House and Senate is at stake. Polls show economic concerns and the cost of living are among the top issues for voters.

Critics say the timing of the payments is designed to win votes, while the administration says it is returning money to Americans.

It is not unusual for presidents of both parties to highlight economic relief ahead of elections, but the scale of Trump's $5,000 proposal and its explicit link to election results have drawn attention.

Past promises

Trump has previously floated large direct payments that did not materialize.

In February 2025, he backed the idea of a $5,000 "DOGE dividend" that would have returned some of the savings projected by the Department of Government Efficiency to taxpayers. No payments were issued.

Later in 2025, Trump proposed a tariff-funded dividend of at least $2,000 per person. Those checks were not sent either.

Six weeks before the 2020 presidential election, Trump promised $200 prescription drug cards to 33 million Medicare beneficiaries. The cards were not distributed.

Some payments have materialized. About 1.5 million service members received a $1,776 "Warrior Dividend" in 2025, and Congress approved pandemic-era stimulus checks during Trump's first term.

What it would take

For the $5,000 payments to happen, Congress would need to pass legislation authorizing the spending and identify how to pay for it. Even if Republicans keep control of both chambers, the proposal could face resistance from fiscal conservatives concerned about adding to the national debt.

Any payments would also take time to set up, as previous stimulus programs required months of work by the Treasury Department and the IRS.

Medicare beneficiaries should watch for their $90 payments in the coming weeks, either by direct deposit or check. Eligible HealthCare.gov customers should look for refund checks by mail.

Whether the $5,000 Trump Dividend becomes reality will depend on the outcome of the Nov. 3 elections and on Congress' willingness to approve the spending.