Mar-a-Lago Menu: Trump says $5,000 bonus covers one burger
The president suggested the promised payment would barely afford a meal at his Florida club as affordability remains the top concern for voters ahead of the November 3 midterms.
By Jason Kovalenko ·
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump told a crowd in Texas that the $5,000 payment he has promised U.S. adults would only purchase a single hamburger and perhaps a small dessert at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. He made the remark during a rally held one week before the midterm elections, a period when voters are heavily focused on the cost of living.
The president has pledged to send $5,000 to every adult citizen if Republicans secure victory in both the House and Senate. He specified that the funds must be spent within the United States. "Go to Florida, go to any one of our great places. You can even come to Mar-a-Lago," Trump said. "The problem is that for $5,000, the most you'll be able to buy is a hamburger and maybe a small dessert."
He added that he was not even certain the money would cover that meal. "No, don't go there. That's not a good place if you're price-conscious," he told the audience. The comment highlights the tension between the size of the proposed payout and the high price of dining at his private resort.
Affordability is the dominant issue heading into the November 3 vote. An AP-NORC poll conducted earlier this month found that 84% of U.S. adults named the cost of living among the most important issues in deciding their vote. In that same survey, 79% disapproved of Trump's handling of the issue. Current polls show Democrats favored in the national popular vote for the House and competitive in several red-state Senate races that will determine control of the upper chamber.
Economists have warned that a one-time direct payment would do little to ease long-term affordability pressures. Some experts suggest the move could exacerbate inflation at a time when many Americans are already feeling financially strained. Prices for necessities like gasoline and groceries have been a particular pain point for most U.S. households.
Sending $5,000 to every adult citizen would cost roughly $1.2 trillion and require Congressional approval. The president has made similar cash payment promises in the past that did not materialize. Less than two months before the 2020 election, Trump pledged 33 million Medicare beneficiaries $200 prescription-drug cards "in coming weeks," but the cards never went out.
The White House renovation has also become a campaign trail foil. Speaking at an Ohio rally last week, former President Barack Obama said Trump had "got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory," noting that "there's gold everywhere." Trump defended his redesign on Monday, blaming Obama for failing to address needed repairs and calling him a "lousy president" for making the comparison.
