Trump diverts Congress-approved funds for 'warrior dividend'

There is bipartisan support for President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement that roughly 1.5 million U.S. service members will receive $1,776 bonus checks, but some are also questioning where the money is coming from, since Congress approved no such bonus payout.

According to Defense One, Congress did approve the funds, but for an entirely different purpose: military housing allowances.

“Because of tariffs, along with the just passed One Big, Beautiful Bill,” Trump told the nation during Wednesday’s primetime TV address, “tonight, I am also proud to announce that more than 1,450,000, think of this, 1,450,000 military service members will receive a special we call ‘Warrior Dividend’ before Christmas, a Warrior dividend. In honor of our nation’s founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776.”

“Think of that,” he added. “And the checks are already on the way.”

Despite Trump’s claim, the funds reportedly are not coming from tariffs.

“Congress appropriated $2.9 billion to the Department of War to supplement the Basic Allowance for Housing entitlement within The One Big Beautiful Bill,” a senior administration official told Defense One. “Approximately 1.28 million active component military members and 174,000 Reserve component military members will receive this supplement.”

That official also announced that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon to “disburse $2.6 billion as a one-time basic allowance for housing supplement” to all eligible service members.

“The $2.9 billion meant to subsidize the basic allowance for housing,” Defense One reported, “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.”

While the funds remained within military compensation they were shifted away from housing support toward one-time cash payments.

Critics are blasting not the bonuses, but the diverting of congressionally-approved funds.

“I’m not opposed to anything that helps the troops, but it should be substantive help rather than a publicity stunt,” wrote retired U.S. Air Force colonel Moe Davis, a Democrat running for Congress. “Pay them enough so their families don’t rely on nutritional assistance. Fully fund the VA to take care of them longterm.”

The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote, “so it’s not a bonus. it’s taking money from one account for the troops and giving it to them as checks.”

“I was wondering how Trump found his troop pay money without a congressional authorization/appropriation,” remarked The Atlantic’s David Frum. “He found it by taking it away from troop housing money. Always a con artist.”

MSNOW anchor Catherine Rampell, an economics editor for The Bulwark, noted: So…not a bonus. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, who are in this case the same person.”

“Hi! I love the troops so much I will take $1,776 out of their pockets to give them a $1,776 check with my name on it,” snarked HuffPost White House corespondent S.V. Dáte.

“Classic Trump,” commented former GOP Congressman Joe Walsh. “Everything he does is a lie, everything he does is just b– repackaging.”