During a televised address from the White House, President Trump announced Wednesday night that all members of the military will receive a $1,776 “warrior dividend.”
“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,” Trump said.
“The checks are already on the way… Nobody deserves it more than our military.”
Trump signaled that the money for the dividends would come from tariffs.
“We made a lot more money than anybody thought because of tariffs,” said Trump.
The president’s announcement of the upcoming bonus for military members came during a 20-minute speech in which he touted the achievements of his administration so far, while showcasing failures from the Biden administration.
“Seven months ago I inherited a mess and I’m fixing it.”
Trump’s bonus for servicemembers is the latest of several steps he has taken to offer support for U.S. troops.
The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was passed by Congress and sent to President Trump’s desk in December 2025. The act includes a 4% pay raise for service members and also includes $2.9 billion to fund new barracks and family housing, as well as to increase investment in childcare fee assistance.
Trump has also signed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act into law, which creates a partial claim program to help veterans who have fallen behind on their mortgages avoid foreclosure.
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” additionally provides broad benefits for service members and their families, including $100 million in Department of Defense Impact Aid to support public schools serving large numbers of military children.