Speaker Johnson Says Trump Would Not Have The Final Say On His $5,000 Check Plan

House Speaker Mike Johnson cautiously addressed President Donald Trump's promise to send people $5,000 if the Republicans win the midterm elections.

Trump had previously claimed that he could send the money without Congressional approval. However, under the U.S. Constitution, expenditures and the budget are controlled by Congress, not the President. In his interview, Johnson pushed back on any notion the president could unilaterally issue checks.

"I commit that Congress will work through it and find consensus on that like they have to do everything else," Johnson told Meet The Press.

When asked directly whether he supported the president's proposal, Johnson said that Trump was a "great idea generator," adding that Congress would "process" it and "figure it all out."

The cost of Trump's proposal would add to a record amount of U.S. debt that has led Republican lawmakers to express concern. The U.S. budget deficit for 2026 is more than $2 trillion. Total U.S. government debt has surpassed $40 trillion earlier this year, and the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio is at an all-time high of 124 percent.

"From the few details we have, it seems that the proposed $5,000 dividend would not have an income cap and would be extraordinarily costly," Republican Maine Senator Susan Collins said in a statement. Collins also said that such a payment should not be made as an award for election results.

"Tax and spending decisions should be made based on the needs of the American people and the state of the economy; they should not appear to be tied to election results," she said.

Deficit spending, along with other factors such as the Iran war, has contributed to an inflation rate of 3.4 percent. Wage growth in the U.S. stands at 3.1 percent, meaning that Americans' purchasing power is declining.

"A substantial number of Americans are worse off, their incomes are not keeping up with the price increases right now," Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, told CNBC. "The basics are that inflation is wiping out wage gains."

Trump has repeatedly claimed that Americans would receive a "dividend," although none has ever materialized. In February 2025, Trump talked about people receiving a dividend from the savings that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would generate. However, no checks were sent. Trump also took to Truth Social to promise a $2,000 dividend that would result from several policies including tariff revenue.