Trump promises ‘nearly $100’ to seniors 30 days before Election Day

With a month left before the midterms, President Donald Trump is leaning harder on cash offers to win votes. In a Truth Social video on Saturday, he renewed his pledge of $5,000 for every adult citizen, but only if Republicans keep control of Congress. Democrats have called the conditional offer bribery, some Republicans have voiced doubts, and it would need congressional approval that is considered unlikely. Trump has not said how it would be funded beyond pointing to tariff revenue, an idea Vice President JD Vance has also floated. Erica York of the Tax Foundation has estimated the checks would use up all the revenue the new tariffs are expected to generate over ten years, according to MS NOW.

On Friday the administration announced a single $90 payment, which Trump described as nearly $100, going to more than 20 million seniors to offset part of their Medicare costs. He said it would be drawn from the Medicare Improvement Fund, though it is unclear the White House can use the money that way. Separately, this week the government started sending $500 payments to nearly a million people, calling them refunds of excessive fees tied to Biden-era handling of the Affordable Care Act.

Summarized by PolitiKool from MS NOW’s reporting. Read the full story at MS NOW →