Highlights:
- More than 1.4 million service members will receive $1,776 payments
- Trump dubbed the bonus the 'Warrior Dividend,' tied to America’s founding year
- Payments are scheduled to arrive before Christmas
- Pentagon authorized a $2.6 billion one-time housing allowance supplement
- Funding linked to tariffs and congressional defense appropriations
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that US military service members will receive $1,776 checks before Christmas, calling the one-time payment a “Warrior Dividend” in recognition of the nation’s founding in 1776.
Speaking during a televised address, Trump said approximately 1.45 million active-duty and reserve troops would receive the payment in the coming days. “In honor of our nation’s founding in 1776, we are sending every soldier $1,776,” Trump said. “And the checks are already on the way.”
The president framed the initiative as a show of appreciation for the armed forces, saying no group was more deserving. He credited increased federal revenue from tariffs, along with recently passed legislation, for helping make the payments possible, though he did not specify the exact funding mechanism.
“We made a lot more money than anybody thought because of tariffs,” Trump said. “Nobody deserves it more than our military, and I say congratulations to everybody.”
According to a senior administration official, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the Pentagon to distribute approximately $2.6 billion as a one-time Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) supplement. The payment applies to eligible service members in pay grades O-6 and below, encompassing the vast majority of the force.
The supplement will reach about 1.28 million active-duty service members and roughly 174,000 reserve component members, the official said. The payments are designed to support housing costs and overall quality of life for military families, particularly as inflation and living expenses remain elevated in many parts of the country.
The funding stems from Congress’ passage of Trump’s policy agenda earlier this year, which appropriated $2.9 billion to the Defense Department—now rebranded by the White House as the Department of War—to enhance housing-related benefits. The administration characterized the payout as a targeted and symbolic bonus rather than a permanent pay increase.
“This one-time payment exemplifies the Department’s ongoing commitment to improving the housing and quality of life for our military members and their families,” the senior official said.
While the White House emphasized that checks are already being processed, details on the exact delivery method and timing are still emerging. CNN has reached out to the Treasury Department for additional information on how the payments will be issued.
The announcement comes as Trump continues to highlight military spending and troop support as central themes of his presidency, positioning the Warrior Dividend as both a financial benefit and a patriotic gesture ahead of the holiday season.
