Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that he backs the concept of sending Americans $5,000 payments that were announced by President Donald Trump last week in a campaign-style rally.
Trump told an audience in Dallas that if Republicans are able to retain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the $5,000 payments, which he called the “Trump dividend,” would be sent out.
While speaking to House lawmakers on Tuesday, Bessent indicated that the $5,000 proposal had been in the works behind the scenes for “quite a while” before Trump revealed it last week.
“The president’s intent is very real,” Bessent said.
Elaborating, the secretary told the House panel he believes “there are ways to do it that would not affect the deficit,” responding to a line of questioning from Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) on whether the payments would add to it….