Collins: Trump’s proposed $5K dividend ‘extraordinarily costly’

Sen. Susan Collins pushed back on President Trump’s public proposal to send $5,000 to every American adult contingent on a Republican midterm victory, describing the idea as "extraordinarily costly." The Maine Republican questioned the policy on fiscal grounds and on whether blanket payments to all adults are appropriate. Collins noted that only a small amount of information about the plan has been released so far, and from that limited material it appears the proposal would not include an income cap. She raised concerns about providing the same payment to people regardless of their financial circumstances. Her remarks framed the proposal as both a budgetary and a policy problem: large universal disbursements can carry substantial costs, and delivering funds without targeting may direct public money to recipients who do not need assistance. With few operational details available, Collins and other lawmakers are left to assess the idea primarily on broad principles of cost and fairness. The proposal’s linkage to the midterm election outcome has made it a focal point for debate among Republicans and lawmakers weighing what types of economic measures should be advanced and how they would be financed if pursued.