Transcript (en)

Let's talk about the price tag because there's been a lot of discussion about that. The checks would cost the government an estimated $1.2 trillion. I want to play for you something that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said about how this plan would impact the nation's already $40 trillion debt. Take a look. What I don't think you want to do is borrow another trillion and a half dollars and then just try to flood that into the economy because that will lead to more inflation. That will lead to more debt and more inflation. In the past, you have called the national debt the largest threat facing the country. Why would you want to add to the debt, Mr. Speaker? I don't want to add to that, Kristen. And I guess we're going to spend the whole segment talking about this one issue when there's so many other things to talk about. No, we're going to get to other issues. What we've actually done and not ideas on the table. Okay, I'd love to, but let me just say, no, we don't want to add to the debt. But if you look at what Commerce Secretary Lutnik said in the last 48 hours or so, and what the president himself has said, this is not to add to anything. It's not going to take taxpayer funds. We not going to get further in debt if this idea was implemented This would be in the president mind in the way he analogized it like a dividend check for shareholders That how he thinks of it If a corporation does well everybody gets the benefit of that and he thinks of it this way They were talking about the new tariff revenue and other revenues coming into the country. He said at the convention, trillions of dollars had come into the country since he took office because of the new trade deals, the things that are more advantageous for America. and he wants to make sure the American people feel the good effect of that. So, again, we've got to process it. Like, every idea will work that through Congress, but you and I are wasting a lot of time this morning when there's other important things to talk about. Well, you still haven't answered the question. Let me just button it up. We're going to move on to a number of other topics, but do you commit that if Republicans hold on to the House and Senate that Americans will get those $5,000 checks? I commit that Congress will work through it and find consensus on that like I have to do everything else. We have a small margin in this Congress. We've had the smallest in history, one or two vote margin on every given day. So it takes some time. I never go out and get big commitments on the front end because I've got to work through it. And that's what we do every single day. President Trump promised that to voters, though. You're not willing to double down on that promise? I'll work with the president hand in hand, as I do all the time. We'll deliver for the American people. That's the promise. All right.