House Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump's $5,000 'dividend' needs congressional approval

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's proposal to send $5,000 to every American adult if his Republican Party maintains control of the House and Senate in the November election needs congressional approval, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday, while pledging to try to make it happen.

Trump made the unusual pitch at the party's midterm convention in Dallas last week, promising a “Trump Dividend” if voters keep the GOP in power on Capitol Hill. The president later told CBS News Texas that he did not think Congress would need to authorize the payments, though he did not explain how he spend more than $1 trillion without lawmakers' authorization.

But Johnson, R-La., said congressional approval is needed. “I would assume, yes, he'd need Congress to act, and that's a creative idea,” he said.

He also said he would work to get Trump's proposal through Congress despite a small Republican margin.

“He’s the big idea’s president. We’re going to try to implement everything we can,” he said. "I commit that Congress will work through it and find consensus on that like they have to do everything else.”

The dubious election-year gambit could cost more than $1 trillion, putting further strains on the country's nearly $1.8 trillion annual budget deficit and exacerbating concerns of inflation. The economy is confronted by persistent inflation and increasing interest rates, a tough combination for governing Republicans as they seek to hold on to control of Congress.

The president argues that payments would be possible because of the strong economy, but consumer sentiment is weak as gasoline prices rise because of the war with Iran and wages struggle to keep pace with inflation.

In Ireland, where the president was attending a golf tournament at a course he owns, Trump said the payments would be “easy enough” because the United States has a strong economy.

“We can easily handle that because we're taking in so much money,” he said. “We've never done better.”

“I made the pledge. I always keep my pledge,” Trump said.

Just one-third of U.S. adults approve of how Trump is handling the presidency, according to a July poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That compares with 37% in June and 42% who approved of his work when he took office. Majorities also disapprove of his handling of the economy and immigration, issues that were central to Trump’s election in 2024.

On Sunday, Trump said the gas price will “drop like a rock” but indicated no deal any time soon with Iran to end the conflicts and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Johnson appeared on CNN's “State of the Union” and NBC's “Meet the Press.”