A nearly two-decade-old tweet from President Donald Trump has been circulating on social media, drawing increased scrutiny to his promise to pay every American adult $5,000 if Republicans prevail in the midterms. The tweet resurfaced on Thursday after Trump made the bribe offer during his nearly two-hour speech on the first night of the Republican midterm convention. “So if the Republicans win, you win with us, and you get $5,000. It will be called the ‘Trump Dividend,’” he said on Wednesday. According to a Thursday analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, the proposal would cost taxpayers $1.2 trillion.That Congress would be unlikely to approve even a fraction of Trump’s promised amount did not deter internet sleuths from unearthing a tweet that revealed the president’s latest stunning hypocrisy. “Don’t let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states,” Trump wrote on Oct. 30, 2012.Don't let Obama buy the election by handing out unlimited free money to states.— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2012Trump opponents reacted quickly, using the old tweet to mock his latest promise and highlight his “rules for thee, but not for me” mentality. Read reactions to Trump’s old tweet here: If my calculations are correct, Trump’s promises total $12,000 now. $2,000 DOGE checks $5,000 tariff checks$5,000 bribes for voting RepublicanAnd some of y’all still believe everything that comes out of his mouth. 🤦🏼♀️ pic.twitter.com/lmkMyMDJar— Amity (@amitylee13) September 10, 2026RelatedDonald TrumpTwitter2026 electionsRepublican Midterm Convention