As polls show waning support for President Donald Trump and Republicans ahead of the midterm elections, Trump offered Americans cash this week. In addition to proposed $5,000 checks, he said he would send out $500 rebate checks.
Axios first reported on the $500 rebate checks this week and Trump’s intention to mention it during the first ever Republican National Convention held during the midterms. It said the funds would go to “as many as 1 million people,” in 30 states who the Trump administration says were overcharged for their insurance coverage under Obamacare, a program that Trump tried and failed to repeal during his first term.
“The money for the rebates would come from what the White House says is a $500 million fund of excess fees paid by Affordable Care Act recipients who were overcharged by insurance companies during the Biden administration,” said Axios. A U.S. official told the outlet the money is “just sitting there.”
According to Axios, these checks would arrive before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. That’s a contrast to Trump’s $5,000 proposal – he said those would only go out of Republicans retain control of Congress. Polls have shown that financial issues are a top concern for Americans heading into the midterms.
DALLAS, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 10: U.S. President Donald Trump appears on stage at the conclusion of the second day of the 2026 Republican National Convention at the American Airlines Center on September 10, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. U.S. President Donald Trump is headlining the Republican National Committee's first-ever midterm convention as he aims to highlight his administration’s achievements and rally support for GOP candidates just two months before the upcoming elections being held on November 3.Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images“The payments also underscore a tenet of Trump’s idea for remaking the health care system, which involves subsidizing more Americans directly for their coverage instead of paying health insurers,” said Axios of the $500 rebates.
In a Wednesday press release, the White House said: “Thanks to President Trump’s actions, nearly 1 million Americans will receive a refund check of $500 per person. Checks will be sent to eligible Americans beginning in October 2026.”
While Axios said sending out cash to Americans seems to be part of Trump’s plan to improve Republicans’ standing in the upcoming elections (losing even one chamber of Congress could make it harder for him to pass legislation) YouGov polling showed that Americans are skeptical that the $5,000 will actually go out. A YouGov survey conducted Friday (after the RNC convention on Wednesday and Thursday) on more than 6,000 U.S. adults found that a 43% plurality said the checks would “definitely not” go out, even if Republicans keep the House and Senate.
YouGov’s Friday survey found that 45% of respondents opposed the proposal, compared to 35% who supported it. Additionally, 41% of YouGov polling respondents said they think they will personally be better off if Democrats control Congress, compared to 33% who said they would be better off with Republicans in control. These results come as The Economist tracks Trump’s approval rating at 35% and the Silver Bulletin tracked it at 38.2% compared to over 44% around the same time last year.
