Trump's Dubious Dividend: A Desperate Attempt at Reelection The incumbent president's party has a long history of losing seats in midterm elections, and Donald Trump's promise to send every American citizen a $5,000 cheque is likely just another casualty of this trend.
By making his "Trump dividend" contingent on Republican control of Congress, the President is effectively admitting that voters are feeling the economic pinch and he needs their votes to stay in power.
This pledge should come as no surprise, given Trump's track record of populist gestures aimed at bolstering his approval ratings.