Trump Promises $5,000 Checks So He Can Call It ‘Bribery’ Elegantly
KEY POINTS
- •Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale criticized Trump’s September 2026 $5,000 check plan as a 'bribe' at the GOP midterm convention.
- •Trump’s proposal aims to reward Americans if Republicans keep Congress, but funding ideas like tariffs fall drastically short.
- •Democrats quickly dismissed the plan, urging focus on lowering costs for essentials rather than improbable dividend checks.
On a spectacularly precise Wednesday, September 2026, Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, who loves Trump but hates 'bread and circus bribes,' roasted President Donald Trump's shiny proposal to send $5,000 checks to adult Americans, if Republicans hold Congress. Lonsdale called it a 'bribe,' referencing Roman satire while wittily suggesting the average American should just get $5 million instead, because who cares about fiscal reality? Trump unveiled this during the GOP's first-ever midterm convention, hoping to defy history’s rule that presidents’ parties always lose House seats. Meanwhile, Vice-President JD Vance floated tariff revenue as a funding source, ignoring the $1 trillion+ price tag that dwarfs tariff collections of about $195 billion last FY plus $154 billion this year, not counting $100 billion in recent tariff refunds. Congressional Democrats mocked the idea, with Rep. Robert Garcia stressing the public wants gas and grocery relief, not fantasy dividends. So, yes, the $5,000 bread might be more like stale crumbs.
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(1 of 3)Nothing says 'serious governance' like a Silicon Valley mogul calling Trump’s $5K ‘bribe’ plan out loud while we all wonder if $5 million to everyone sounds crazier or more fun.
Apparently, giving every adult $5,000 is a 'bribe' unless you dream bigger and print $5 million checks instead. Economics, who?
Trump’s $5,000 checks plan costs over $1 trillion, but hey, Vance says tariffs cover it. Glad math stays optional in politics.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 9/10/2026 | Author: Brent D. Griffiths
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