U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his father Rafael Cruz applaud at the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, U.S., September 10, 2026. REUTERS/Jessica Koscielniak
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) was asked by Fox News' Jesse Watters on Thursday whether he would support President Donald Trump's $5,000 "dividend" checks to voters in return for keeping Republicans in control of Congress.
Cruz awkwardly tried to shift the proposal into a very different form that he would be comfortable supporting.
"All right, Senator, you heard the president last night talk about the $5,000 checks," said Watters. "Would you vote for a 5,000 check?"
"Well, look, it depends how it's structured, you know," said Cruz. "Uh, I would like to see it structured as a tax refund, a tax refund. There are about 273 million adult citizens across the country. Most of them are working. If you're working, you're paying income taxes, you're paying Social Security taxes; I would be all for structuring it as a tax refund. But I think we should be incentivizing work; I don't think we should be paying people that are not working, particularly those that are physically able to work but are choosing not to."
Trump's plan has been divisive even in favorable media circles, with many critics accusing him of trying to bribe voters.
For his part, the president has suggested in an interview with Laura Ingraham that he doesn't even need Congress to pass the plan. He did not elaborate on what he thinks gives him this legal authority.