Lafayette, LA – Former President Donald Trump is weighing the possibility of issuing new stimulus checks to Americans, a move he says could be funded by savings made through cuts in government spending via the proposed Department of Government Efficiency. While the idea has garnered attention, reactions on Capitol Hill have been decidedly mixed, with both Democrats and Republicans offering different perspectives on its potential impact.
Democrats have largely dismissed the proposal, calling it a distraction designed to draw attention away from other activities of the Trump administration. They argue that, in the face of a growing national debt, efforts should be focused on more substantive fiscal measures rather than distributing direct payments to the public.
Republican reactions, however, have been more divided. Some, like Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, expressed concern that issuing new stimulus payments could exacerbate government spending, particularly with the national debt standing at a staggering $36 trillion. Lummis emphasized her priority of addressing the deficit and inflation, arguing that any savings derived from government cuts should first be allocated to these urgent financial issues.
“I’m very interested in eliminating the debt and the deficit, as well as getting inflation under control. Those would be my top priorities for the savings associated with DOGE,” said Lummis. “If there’s money left after we address inflation, and the debt, and the deficit, it’s always a good idea to send taxpayers their money back. But when we’re $36 trillion in debt, we’ve dug ourselves a pretty big hole.”
However, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri voiced a more supportive stance on the idea, stating that returning money to taxpayers could be beneficial, particularly for working families. He suggested that the savings could be used not only for direct stimulus payments but also for initiatives like expanding the child tax credit. Hawley’s proposal would direct relief specifically to those who work and pay payroll taxes, ensuring that the assistance reaches those most in need.
“I like the idea of returning money to the American taxpayer,” Hawley remarked. “Whether you do that direct to every person or whether you use it to fund, for instance, a child tax credit, which would be direct relief to every working family, if they work and pay payroll taxes, that would be great.”
As discussions continue on Capitol Hill, the future of Trump’s proposal remains uncertain, with Congress divided on how best to manage the nation’s finances while addressing the economic challenges faced by American families. Whether the plan will gain traction or be dismissed as an election-year strategy remains to be seen.