Trump accused of violating federal vote-buying statute with $5,000 pledge at GOP convention

When President Donald Trump pledged a $5,000 payment to every American adult if Republicans retain control of Congress, he apparently violated a federal statute prohibiting expenditures to influence voting.

Speaking Wednesday night at the Republican Party’s midterm convention, Trump told the crowd: “If the Republicans win, you win with us and you get $5,000. It will be called the Trump dividend, congratulations.”

He added that the money would have to be spent in the United States, although he has run up record level deficits and offered no explanation how he would pay for it.

Legal experts said the promise appears to run afoul of 18 U.S.C. § 597, which makes it a crime to “make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate.”

The statute carries a penalty of up to one year in prison, or two years if the violation was willful.

Richard Painter, who served as chief White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, wrote on social media that the proposal violated the statute.

Others disagreed, arguing the pledge was a general campaign promise rather than a targeted payment.

“This is a campaign promise,” argued New Mexico attorney John Dayl. “It’s not a payment to individuals to try to get them to vote in a particular way.”

The White House did not comment on the pledge.

Democrats criticized the proposal as an attempt to buy votes. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called it “taxpayer-funded blood money.”

The promise could cost more than $1 trillion, according to Census data, at a time when the federal debt exceeds $40 trillion.

Other False Claims

Trump’s speech, which ran nearly two hours, also included numerous claims that fact-checkers found to be false or misleading:

Immigration figures. Trump claimed that “25 million” migrants entered the country during the Biden administration.

Federal data shows under 11 million nationwide encounters during that period, including millions who were quickly expelled.

Even adding estimated “gotaways” of roughly 2.2 million, the total falls far short of Trump’s figure.

Zero border crossings. Trump said “zero illegal aliens have entered our country from the southern border in the last 15 months; zero.”

While border releases have stopped, migrants have continued to evade authorities, though at much lower rates than during the previous administration.

Murderers allowed entry. Trump claimed Democrats allowed “11,888 murderers” into the country.

That figure refers to non-citizens who entered over multiple decades, including during Trump’s first term, and who were convicted of homicide—usually in the U.S. after arrival. Many are currently serving prison sentences.

Food prices. Trump said “food prices and almost every other item are rapidly going down.”

Overall consumer prices have increased 4.3% since January 2025, with grocery prices up 3.4%.

Tax cuts. Trump claimed he signed “the biggest tax decrease in the history of our country.”

The 2025 tax law ranks third among major tax cut legislation since 1980, according to PolitiFact.

Presidential victories. Trump told the crowd, “We won the presidency three times,” repeating his false claim about the 2020 election.

401(k) gains. Trump said the typical American’s 401(k) has increased by “almost $50,000.”

Fidelity data showed average balances had risen by $9,454 during most of Trump’s second term.

North Carolina case. Trump claimed former Gov. Roy Cooper “released this animal” who later killed Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska.

State corrections officials said the man charged, Decarlos Brown Jr., served his full sentence and was released in September 2020, months before the pandemic-related settlement Cooper was connected to.

First midterm convention. Trump claimed the gathering was the “first-ever midterm convention of any party.”

Democrats held midterm conventions in Kansas City in 1974 and Memphis in 1978, the latter attended by President Jimmy Carter.

Trump also urged voters to “pretend I’m on the ballot” in November, acknowledging that the sitting president’s party typically loses midterm elections.