'Lucy and the football': GOPer cornered by CNN host over Trump promises

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins did not let up in demanding to know where Republicans planned to pull the cash to pay for President Donald Trump’s $5,000 checks for “every American” if Republicans retain the House and Senate in November.

“But on the checks, you're drafting the bill to actually turn this into a reality. Where does the money for those $5,000 checks come from?” Collins demanded in Tuesday night CNN grilling.

But Moreno refused to answer after repeated questions: “Well, I think the first and most important question is, ‘why is it contingent on the republicans winning the House and the Senate? And the answer is because that's the only way we can pass a bill without Democrat support,” he said, insisting that there are “lots of opportunities” to find the checks, including ‘market access fees.”

“But the main premise is basically a tariff,” said Collins. “By ‘market access fee,’ you mean someone paying to get into the US market. But you have to first get a number of countries and companies that would agree to do that.”

“The bottom line is, here's what your viewers should know: If Republicans keep the House in the Senate, they'll get a check for $5,000. You can bank on that,” Moreno said.

But Collins wasn’t buying it: “The midterms are in 60 days. I mean, shouldn't you decide soon? 50 days, I think, actually. Shouldn't you decide soon where exactly the money is coming from? … I guess the reason I ask is because it seems unrealistic to a lot of people, because the president has promised checks many times. [Trump] told Americans they were going to get a check after the DOGE savings. He told Americans they were going to get another tariff savings check. No, Americans are getting checks in the mail [from these.]”

Moreno argued that was only because Trump was prevented from delivering because of interference by Democrats and the courts.

“Where are the DOGE checks?” Collins demanded.

“The DOGE effort continues,” said Moreno. “We will continue to make certain that we make government more efficient. But as you know, we do have to work through a legislative process in which the democrats wanted nothing to do with fighting waste, fraud and abuse in government.”

“… Americans aren’t thinking this is realistic because they keep getting the promise of checks and they don't get the checks,” Collins insisted. “So why are they supposed to now believe? It’s like Lucy and the football.”

“Unlike the promises that Democrats make, which is that they're going to lower their health care costs, they're going to give Medicaid for free, free student tuition, we're going to forgive your debt. This will happen.”

To this, Collins cited Sen. Susan Collins saying tax and spending decisions “should be made based on the needs of American people and the state of the economy, not tied to election results.”

“If Democrats were promising $5,000 [for a vote], wouldn’t you say that's a bribe?” the CNN anchor prodded.

“It's tied to election results because the only way for us to pass a bill without any Democrat support is to do a reconciliation bill that requires us to control the House and Senate,” Moreno repeated doggedly.

“But that's not what Trump is saying,” Collins retorted. “He said he doesn't need Congress [for this.]

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