Trump’s $5,000 midterm campaign promise is an immediate flop

President Donald Trump is already receiving widespread criticism for making several false statements and promises during his rambling speech on opening night of the GOP convention on Wednesday. One statement that created immediate backlash within his own party was the pledge to give every adult in the U.S. $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress in the midterms.

Though the crowd cheered wildly at Trump’s announcement, GOP financial experts and other Republicans were quick to call out the impossibility of carrying out such a promise, according to a report by Politico.

Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, who won’t be returning to Congress next year, said he “would like to know how they would plan to pay for … well over $1 trillion,” in response to the promise.

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Trump did not specify how these stimulus checks would be financed; he only noted that the money would be limited to citizens and required to be spent within the U.S. Critics argue that the staggering payout, which would need to be approved by Congress, would overbloat the deficit and most likely increase inflation. The dividend could also skyrocket longer-term borrowing costs for the U.S. government, which have already been increasing – partly due to fears our federal debt, currently in excess of $40 trillion, is growing unsustainable.

One GOP operative, who spoke anonymously to Politico, also expressed extreme skepticism, calling Trump’s $5K pledge “a desperate attempt to change the political mood.”

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Tension around fiscal spending has already been brewing within the GOP this year, as Republicans have been pleading with Trump for months to refocus his messaging and fundraising efforts to help the party retain control of Capitol Hill this November. And this latest wild promise will undoubtedly cause more intra-party backlash.

Still, some Republicans supported the move, noting that the current high cost of living is a hot topic for voters this fall.

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“We got to talk about the issues that people are dealing with,” said Sen. Rick Scott in an interview just before Trump’s announcement. “Families can’t afford their house, they can’t afford the food, they can’t afford health care, they can’t afford child care.”

In an exclusive interview with Politico after Trump’s speech, Sen. Ted Cruz said he’d prefer to include work requirements with the dividends, and added that specifics still need to be worked through.

“$1.3 trillion dollars is a massive amount,” Cruz said of the estimated costs of the stimulus plan – but added that it would be less costly than if the Democrats won back power and spent like “drunken sailors.”