Trump says $5,000 buys one burger at Mar-a-Lago
The president framed his proposed cash payment as a single meal at his Florida club amid rising midterm affordability concerns.
By Anthony Lawson ·
At a rally in Texas on Tuesday, President Donald Trump stated that the $5,000 payment he has promised to every U.S. adult would purchase little more than a hamburger and a small dessert at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The remark came one week before the November 3 midterm elections, a contest where voters have identified cost of living as their primary concern. Trump specified that the funds must be spent domestically if Republicans secure control of both the House and the Senate.
The president added that he was unsure if the amount would cover even that single meal. He advised, “No, don't go there. That's not a good place if you're price-conscious.” The comment aligns with recent polling data indicating that affordability is the dominant issue in the upcoming vote. An AP-NORC poll conducted earlier this month found that 84% of U.S. adults named cost of living among the most important factors in their voting decision. In that same survey, 79% of respondents disapproved of Trump's handling of the issue.
Current polls show Democrats leading in the national popular vote for House races. The party also appears competitive in several red-state Senate contests that will determine control of the upper chamber. Economic experts have cautioned that a one-time direct payment would provide limited relief for affordability pressures. They warn that such a measure could exacerbate inflation at a time when many households are already facing financial strain from rising prices for gasoline and groceries.
Implementing the plan would require Congressional approval and would cost approximately $1.2 trillion. Trump has made similar cash payment promises in the past that did not result in disbursement. Less than two months before the 2020 election, he pledged $200 prescription-drug cards to 33 million Medicare beneficiaries for delivery in the coming weeks, but the cards were never sent.
The White House renovation has also become a point of contention on the campaign trail. At an Ohio rally last week, former President Barack Obama described Trump's changes as making the White House look like a location where “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory.” Obama noted that there is gold everywhere in the residence. Trump defended the redesign on Monday, blaming Obama for failing to address necessary repairs. He argued that his predecessor did not see the dirt or broken ornaments on the building. Trump concluded that calling the space a Cheesecake Factory demonstrated why Obama was a lousy president.
