President Donald Trump's promise of a $5,000 election "dividend" check to every adult in the U.S. comes at a time when many Americans are feeling particularly strained.
However, economists CNBC spoke with say the proposal is unlikely to become a reality. And even if it did, a one-time direct payment would do little to ease affordability pressures, they said, and could raise consumer prices more in the months ahead.
Just weeks before the November midterm elections — with consumers' views of their financial situation largely pessimistic — Trump on Wednesday said his administration would give every adult American citizen $5,000 if the Republicans win control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
High prices have weighed on voters and are largely to blame for a long-term decline in consumer sentiment, according to a data analysis from PNC Financial Services.
In August, consumers' short-term outlook slipped further into negative territory, according to a Conference Board report. The University of Michigan's latest consumer survey also showed sentiment worsened amid worries that inflation will remain elevated.