Trump says he's sending $90 checks to 20 million seniors: What to know
Trump promises $5,000 if Republicans win midterms
President Donald Trump previously promised $5,000 to all Americans if Republicans win in the upcoming midterm elections and, on Saturday, he doubled down on that pledge in a recorded video from the Oval Office. He posted the video to Truth Social.
President Donald Trump says he’s sending $90 checks to more than 20 million seniors across the U.S. in his latest giveaway of public money ahead of the November midterms.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social account Saturday and said it applies to Medicare Part B enrollees.
President Donald Trump holds a press briefing with AI executives following a meeting on artificial intelligence, outside the West Wing of the White House on September 29, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Trump announced $90 checks for seniors
What they're saying:
"I am pleased to announce that my Administration will, immediately, begin sending ‘Checks’ of nearly $100 to over 20 MILLION wonderful Seniors to help pay for their Medicare Part B premiums, which we have already reduced by significant amounts," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
RELATED: Trump promises every American adult $5,000 if GOP wins the midterms
Trump says it’s separate from the $500 Affordable Care Act refunds going out to 1 million Americans, and also separate from the $5,000 Trump has repeatedly promised to send to every American if Republicans keep control of the House and Senate in the November midterm elections. That extraordinary promise is legal, experts have said, but it would cost more than $1 trillion and would have to be approved by Congress.
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Where is the money coming from?
Dig deeper:
Trump says the money will come from the Medicare Improvement Fund, which was started by Congress in 2008 to make Medicare services better. In his social media post Saturday, Trump called it a "slush fund."
RELATED: Most Americans now blame Trump for high prices, poll finds
Where are the checks going?
Local perspective:
According to White House numbers obtained by USA Today, checks are going out in all 50 states. Here’s how many checks will be sent in the following states:
- California: 1.52 million
- Texas: 1.43 million
- Florida 1.4 million
- New York: 1.02 million
- Pennsylvania: 905,000
- Wyoming: Fewer than 100,000
- Vermont: Fewer than 100,000
- Alaska: Fewer than 100,000
- North Dakota: Fewer than 100,000
- South Dakota: Fewer than 100,000
- Michigan: 539,000
- North Carolina: 644,000
- Georgia: 568,000
- Iowa: 327,000
- Ohio: 748,000
- Maine: 88,000
- Kansas: 293,000
Why is Trump promising checks?
Big picture view:
The checks and promises come weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, which will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress.
Trump has frequently lamented that, during the modern era, the president’s party almost always loses seats in Congress during the midterms, and he has looked for unorthodox ways to defy the trend.
Trump says $5K checks will '100 percent' happen
President Trump spoke to reporters before boarding Air Force One en route back to Washington, D.C. from Ireland.
Can Trump send people checks?
The other side:
Marc Goldwein, the senior policy director at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank in Washington, told The Associated Press that Trump has no authority to send money to Americans without approval from Congress.
The Source: This article includes information from President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account, The Associated Press, USA Today and previous FOX Local reporting.