A current social media declare suggesting that the U.S. authorities plans to distribute $5,000 stimulus checks, humorously dubbed “DOGE dividends,” has seemingly misled some on-line customers.
The Lincoln Mission, an anti-Trump political motion committee, shared a publish on X, previously often known as Twitter, that poked enjoyable at authorities appointee Elon Musk’s supposed intention to ship $5,000 to Individuals utilizing financial savings from the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), with the announcement supposedly set for “February thirty first.”
BREAKING: Trump $5k stimulus checks popping out February thirty first
— The Lincoln Mission (@ProjectLincoln) February 24, 2025
Nonetheless, the publish obtained over 5 million views, resulting in reactions that indicated some customers won’t have grasped the humor.
Whereas just a few customers acknowledged the joke, others left feedback questioning the knowledge, resembling: “The place is that this info coming from? There aren’t even 31 days in February,” “To everybody?” and “When are they going so as to add the additional 2 days?”
Brandon Bell/Getty Photos
The publish additionally garnered recommendations for a “Group Notice,” which is a content material moderation instrument established after Musk acquired X, with customers submitting alerts resembling “There isn’t any verified plan for President [Donald] Trump to distribute $5,000 to every taxpayer” and “February has solely 28 days.”
This month certainly has solely 28 days, and the latest intercalary year—which features a February 29—was final yr.
Musk and Trump expressed curiosity in a proposal from funding agency CEO and conservative James Fishback, which might compensate Individuals for what Fishback termed “the egregious misuse and abuse of their hard-earned tax {dollars} that DOGE has uncovered.”
The projected price of this plan could be $400 billion, virtually 1 / 4 of the $2 trillion that Musk claims he needs the federal government to save lots of, a goal that many economists deem unrealistic.
A Newsweek evaluation of the 1,100 canceled authorities contracts listed by DOGE discovered financial savings totaling lower than $7.2 billion, or simply 1.8 % of Musk’s goal. DOGE asserts that its web site data are outdated and claims to have achieved $55 billion in financial savings.
Trump has talked about contemplating distributing 20 % of DOGE’s recognized financial savings to Individuals.
Reactions to this proposal have diverse. Home Speaker Mike Johnson voiced considerations on the Conservative Political Motion Convention (CPAC) in Maryland final week, stating: “Politically, it might be nice for us in case you ship everybody a examine.”
“Nonetheless, after we take into consideration our core rules, fiscal duty is central to what we do as conservatives; that’s our model.”
Continuing with any dividend fee would necessitate a Congressional act, with notable conservative figures already expressing reservations. Preston Brashers, a analysis fellow for tax coverage on the Heritage Basis—the conservative assume tank driving Mission 2025—forged doubt on the plan’s inflationary results, commenting on X: “I recognize what DOGE is doing, however this can be a unhealthy concept.”
“There’s no want for ‘dividend checks.’ The profit we acquire from lowering spending is that it helps management inflation. Nonetheless, if the federal government distributes stimulus checks, inflation will inevitably surge once more.”
Stimulus funds despatched on to households throughout the COVID-19 pandemic had been discovered to have contributed to inflationary pressures. Throughout Trump’s administration, two rounds of COVID-related stimulus checks had been issued, which the Federal Reserve reported as chargeable for rising inflation by roughly 2.5 share factors.
The Lincoln Mission, based by average Republicans, has run promoting campaigns and promotions geared toward critiquing Trump. The previous president retaliated in opposition to the group in 2022 after they broadcast important advertisements about him on Fox Information. The PAC has labeled the modern Republican Celebration as a “nationalist cult” dedicated to Trump.
DOGE has encountered renewed challenges this week, as over 20 civil service workers resigned from the division, citing their refusal to make the most of their technical expertise to “dismantle important public companies.”
“We promised to serve the American individuals and uphold our constitutional duties throughout presidential administrations,” the 21 employees members said in a collective resignation letter, a replica of which was acquired by the Related Press. “Nonetheless, it has develop into evident that we will not fulfill these commitments.”
