▲ House Speaker Mike Johnson
Regarding U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to pay $5,000 per person if the Republican Party wins the November midterm elections, Republican House Speaker and "Trump loyalist" Mike Johnson stated on the 13th (local time) that the matter requires discussion and approval from Congress.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," Speaker Johnson said regarding the so-called "Trump dividend" of $5,000 per person promised by President Trump, "As with everything else, I promise that Congress will work through this and find a consensus."
Regarding the implementation of the pledge, he added, "I don't step out and make grand pronouncements because we have to work through the problems. That's what we do every single day."
When asked by the host whether this meant he was not actively supporting the dividend payment pledge, he avoided a direct answer, stating, "As I have always done, I will always work closely with the President and work for the people."
Appearing on CNN's political talk show "State of the Union" on the same day, Speaker Johnson made it clear that President Trump's $5,000 dividend pledge requires congressional approval.
However, Johnson added, "We haven't had any time to process, review, or discuss this issue."
Previously, President Trump sparked controversy during a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, on the 9th by promising, "If the Republicans win the House and the Senate, we will pay a $5,000 dividend to every adult citizen in America."
He later mentioned in a CBS interview that he "doesn't think congressional approval is necessary" for the $5,000 dividend payment, but then changed his tune when meeting reporters during a visit to Ireland, stating regarding the need for congressional approval, "I don't know, but if Republicans win, (congressional approval) will be quite easy."
While the Democratic Party has been pouring heavy criticism on the $5,000 dividend pledge, taking issue with its legality, fiscal burden, and feasibility, harsh criticisms are also emerging from within the ruling Republican Party and the conservative camp.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential Republican presidential contender, pointed out that President Trump's dividend payment proposal could fuel inflation, and Republican federal Representatives such as Ralph Norman (South Carolina) and Chip Roy (Texas) have also publicly voiced opposition, taking issue with the economic burden, feasibility, and appropriateness.
The conservative economic newspaper The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) criticized the $5,000 payment, conditioned on an election victory, as "blatant vote-buying" in an editorial.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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