Donald Trump renewed his promise to give Americans $5,000 checks if Republicans can maintain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. The 80-year-old president said he would give every adult U.S. citizen the full amount if his party wins both the House of Representatives and Senate in November. He is calling the proposed payment the “Trump Dividend.”

“If Republicans win the House of Representatives and the Senate in the 2026 Midterm Elections, I’m going to give all Adult Citizens in the United States of America, $5,000,” Trump wrote via Truth Social on Saturday, October 3. “Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to signing those checks! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

The announcement has raised questions about who would qualify and when the money could arrive to Americans’ mailboxes or bank accounts.

Here’s what to know about the proposed $5,000 check.

Is Trump Really Sending Americans $5,000?

Trump proposed giving every adult U.S. citizen $5,000, but the payment has not been approved as a federal benefit. So, if Republicans win both the House and the Senate midterms, then Trump will presumably send every American adult the check as long as it is an approved federal payment.

Who Would Qualify for the $5,000 Trump Check?

Trump has described the proposed payment as a $5,000 “dividend” for every adult U.S. citizen.

That means the proposal, as Trump has described it, would not be limited to people who voted for him or members of a particular political party. However, detailed eligibility requirements have not been established because Congress has not authorized the program.

When Would the $5,000 Checks Be Sent?

There is currently no confirmed payment date for the proposed $5,000 checks.

Even if Republicans retain control of Congress, the proposal would still have to move through the legislative and funding process before payments could be distributed sometime after November 2026.

Is the $5,000 Trump Check the Same as a Stimulus Check?

Not exactly. The proposed $5,000 payment is being described by Trump as a “dividend,” rather than as a traditional COVID-era stimulus payment.

During Trump’s first term, Americans received federal stimulus payments that were authorized by Congress during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposed “Trump Dividend” would be a separate program and is not currently an approved stimulus payment.

What About the $90 Medicare Checks?

The proposed $5,000 payment is also separate from the $90 payments recently announced for certain Medicare beneficiaries.

Trump announced that more than 20 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part B would receive one-time $90 payments intended to help offset Medicare premium costs. Those payments are being funded through the Medicare Improvement Fund and are unrelated to the proposed $5,000 Trump Dividend.

The distinction is important because several different Trump administration payment proposals have been announced in recent months.