WWE Legend Fires Back at Trump After Election Defeat: 'Does This Mean I Don't Get My $5,000 Check?'
John Bradshaw Layfield shared a post addressing Trump after the midterm elections
Nov. 5 2026, Published 11:59 a.m. ET
WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield took a swipe at President Donald Trump following the Republicans' losses in the November 3 midterm elections, questioning whether the president's promised $5,000 payments to Americans were still on the table.
Better known to wrestling fans as JBL, Layfield addressed the promise in a November 4 post on X after Democrats secured control of both the House and Senate.
Trump had made the proposed payments conditional on Republicans retaining control of Congress.
JBL Reacts To The Election Results
John Bradshaw Layfield questioned Trump about his $5,000 check
Layfield kept his reaction brief, sharing a one-line question on X that drew attention following the Democratic victories.
"Does this mean I don't get my $5,000 check?" he wrote.
The post came after Democrats made significant gains in Tuesday's elections, taking control of both chambers of Congress. Their victories meant Republicans had failed to meet the condition Trump had attached to his proposed payments.
What Trump Had Promised
Donald Trump claimed that the adults would get $5,000 if the Republicans won
Trump introduced the $5,000 proposal on September 9 during the Republican Party's midterm convention in Dallas. He said every adult American citizen would receive the payment if Republicans won both the House and the Senate.
The president referred to the proposed money as the "Trump Dividend" and suggested that revenue collected through tariffs could help finance it.
Trump described the payment as a benefit Americans would receive if his party held on to Congress. However, the proposal had not become an approved government payment program.
No legislation authorizing the checks had passed, and the administration had not announced a distribution schedule.
Reuters also reported that the proposal could cost approximately $1.35 trillion, raising questions about how it would be financed and whether it could legally move forward.
JBL's Second Post About Texas
John Bradshaw Layfield shared another post after questioning Trump
Layfield also weighed in on the political shake-up in his home state, sharing another message on X following the election results.
"I'm not sure if we get regime change in Iran, I know for sure we just got it in Texas," he wrote.
His comment referenced two major Democratic victories in Texas. State Rep. Gina Hinojosa defeated incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott, while James Talarico beat Republican Ken Paxton to win a U.S. Senate seat.
Both victories marked significant changes in the state's political leadership. Hinojosa's win was particularly notable, as she is set to become Texas' first Democratic governor since Ann Richards left office in 1995, according to The Texas Tribune.
Why The Post Got Attention
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John Bradshaw Layfield has pursued a successful career in WWE
Layfield's comments attracted attention beyond the wrestling community because they connected a high-profile sports personality's reaction to Trump's election promise with the wider political fallout.
The former WWE Champion's remarks also came as Trump faced questions about the Republican losses. The president responded by arguing that the party would have won by a landslide if he had been on the ballot.
"I wasn't on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!" Trump wrote on Truth Social, according to The Washington Post.
Trump had repeatedly encouraged voters to treat him as though he were on the ballot during the campaign. Following the results, however, he emphasized that he had not personally been running.
With Democrats now controlling both chambers of Congress, Trump's proposed $5,000 dividend remains an unfulfilled campaign promise.
