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2026-09-16 01:10:09
[Betsent Supports Trump's $5,000 Cash Payment Plan, Says It Won't Increase Fiscal Deficit] U.S. Treasury Secretary Ben Besent, speaking to lawmakers on Tuesday, endorsed Trump's plan to distribute $5,000 checks to every American adult if Republicans retain control of both houses of Congress, downplaying concerns about the plan's costs. Besent stated, "I think there's a way to do this without affecting the fiscal deficit," amid growing concerns in financial markets about the U.S. government's expanding debt. Besent did not disclose how the costs of the plan would be offset, but said the Treasury Department has been working on the proposal "quite some time ago." He also did not mention that such payments might require congressional authorization. If congressional approval is indeed needed, Besent said he would work with House Speaker Boris Johnson to advance the proposal. Besent's remarks come less than a week after Trump pledged a $5,000 "bonus," a plan expected to cost over $1 trillion.
