Kathrine Frich
He promised that every adult citizen would receive a heavy check if the midterm elections go his way.
Politicians love to make massive financial promises when election season heats up.
But the internet never forgets a past statement, and digital archives have a funny way of coming back to haunt leaders.
A recently unearthed message has just turned a trillion-dollar campaign pledge into a glaring contradiction.
A costly campaign pledge
President Donald Trump recently floated a massive financial reward for voters if his party holds power. During a lengthy convention speech, he pitched a direct payout to the public.
Speaking on the first night of the Republican midterm convention, the president outlined his plan. He promised that every adult citizen would receive a heavy check if the midterm elections go his way.
“So if the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000,” Trump told the crowd on Wednesday. He added that the payout would be called the “Trump Dividend.”
Experts quickly calculated the massive price tag attached to the idea. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget published an analysis on Thursday, estimating the proposal would cost American taxpayers a staggering $1.2 trillion.
Echoes from the past
Getting Congress to approve that kind of spending is highly unlikely. However, the sheer scale of the promise sent internet researchers digging into the president’s past social media activity.
They quickly struck gold. A post from over a decade ago resurfaced, drawing immediate scrutiny to his current platform.
Back in October 2012, Trump took to social media to criticize his political rival at the time. He accused the sitting president of trying to purchase votes with public funds.
“Don’t let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states,” Trump wrote years before his own presidency.
Quick public backlash
According to a report from HuffPost, political opponents wasted no time weaponizing the old message against the president. Online critics quickly flooded social networks to mock the newly branded dividend plan.
Commentators highlighted the stark hypocrisy between his past outrage and his current strategy. Many argued the situation perfectly illustrates a blatant double standard in political spending.
While the $5,000 dividend remains a distant campaign dream, the resurfaced post continues to bounce around the web today. It proves that the digital footprint never sleeps.
Sources: HuffPost, Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget
