During his manic shout/speech Wednesday evening, Donald Trump announced that he was immediately sending $1,776 checks to more than a million military service members.
However, it turns out that money was already allocated for housing and was sent weeks ago. Oh, and it isn’t a “bonus” like Trump alleged.
Defense One blew the whistle on Donnie’s latest lie.
“President Donald Trump’s $1,776 checks for more than a million troops, announced Wednesday, come from Congressionally-allocated reconciliation funds intended to subsidize housing allowances for service members, a senior administration official confirmed.”
“During a prime-time TV address, Trump said he was ‘proud to announce’ that ‘1,450,000 military service members will receive a special, we call ‘warrior dividend,’ before Christmas.” He added that to honor the nation’s founding, “we are sending every soldier $1,776. Think of that. And the checks are already on the way.”
Or, to borrow a phrase, The check’s in the mail.
Then again, the check has been in the mail, and now Trump is desperately trying to take credit for the money, which isn’t actually a bonus or a dividend.
“Top Congressional leaders have repeatedly pushed Pentagon officials during confirmation hearings to commit to following lawmakers’ guidance for the more-than-$150 billion allocated for defense in the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ reconciliation legislation. The $2.9 billion meant to subsidize the basic allowance for housing, the monthly payment to cover troops’ off-base expenses such as rent, mortgage, and utilities known as BAH, comes as some service members have struggled to make the most of the benefit. A Jan. 27 Rand report examining BAH for Army personnel said the Defense Department should better assess methodology amid rapid changes to the housing market.”
“BAH is generally adequate for Army personnel, though not necessarily when the housing market is changing rapidly and dramatically, as it has in recent years,” the report said. “Furthermore, while our analysis of housing choices and expenditures among military personnel and of their locational amenities points to an overall positive picture with respect to BAH, a substantial, though minority, share of members report dissatisfaction with BAH.”
As for the money coming from tariffs, that too is complete BS.
Trump told the nation, “We made a lot more money than anybody thought because of tariffs, and the bill helped us along. Nobody deserves it more than our military, and I say congratulations to everybody.”
Nope. Tariffs had nothing to do with the checks for housing. The money came from Congress, not Trump. He’s just trying to take credit for it.
Granted, our troops deserve every dime they receive. But it takes a real scumbag to try and take credit for someone else’s generosity.
