Dem lawmakers scoff at Trump's $5K 'fantasy land' promise: 'Ain't happening'

"I think it's hysterical," Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., said about the promise. "Literally, I think, it's insane. It's effectively a proposed bribe of the American people that we can't afford."

"This is just fantasy land, right?" Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., told Fox News Digital. "$5,000 checks, plus, you know, puppies and rainbows and ponies."

He continued, "The president will make any promises he can."

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., waved off Fox News Digital when asked about the checks, declining to comment.

"$5,000 to gain a majority?" Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., said. "He already has the Senate and the House and the White House, and it's been an unmitigated disaster."

"It's just a campaign promise that he's trying to make to the American public, because he knows he's underwater, and he's not doing well and people are angry," Aguilar said.

Most Democrats who spoke with Fox News Digital about the payments waved off the president's $5,000 pledge as a "lie" and argued it's something Americans have heard from him before.

"If you have an opportunity to provide relief to the American people, you should take it," Rep. Christian Menefee, D-Texas said. "But lying to Americans around election season, what the president has done numerous times, I think it's sad and shameful."

He continued, "I can guarantee you those checks ain't happening."

"I think it's one more lie, and people aren't going to fall for this," Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., said.

"You've already seen House Republicans and Capitol Hill Republicans say that this isn't going to happen," Aguilar said. "It's just a campaign promise that he's trying to make to the American public, because he knows he's underwater, and he's not doing well and people are angry."

"He's done this before," Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., said. "He's never followed through on it. If he does follow through, how are we gonna do it?"

The payments to 240 million Americans would cost the federal government roughly $1.2 trillion. Trump brushed off affordability criticism of the pledge, saying the U.S. could "easily" afford the payouts.

Democrats also scrutinized Trump's prioritization, urging the president to shift his focus to deliverables for the American people - particularly emphasizing healthcare.

"I'd rather give people their healthcare and their food assistance back," Subramanyam said. "That'd be way more than $5,000 for most people."

"If he really cared about the American people, he would have made sure they had healthcare," Alsobrooks said.

Warnock even blamed Trump's policies for being the reason Americans would need the $5,000 check.

"The only reason why Americans would need $5,000 is because of Trump's awful policies," Warnock said. "He should fix his policies. He shouldn't wait until after the election."