US President Donald Trump stumbled over a key figure during the announcement of a major new financial benefit for American military personnel, a policy reportedly finalised just half an hour before he went on air.
The $2.5 Billion 'Warrior Dividend' Unveiled
In a televised address on Friday 19 December 2025, President Trump unveiled the 'Warrior Dividend', a substantial one-off payment for members of the United States armed forces. The central detail of the policy is the sum each service member is set to receive: $1,776. This figure is a direct commemoration of the year 1776, when the United States declared its independence.
The total cost of this initiative is estimated at a staggering $2.5 billion. According to reports, the final details of this significant financial commitment were locked in a mere 30 minutes before the President stepped in front of the cameras to make the public announcement.
A Moment of Confusion in the Address
The rollout of the high-value policy was momentarily marred by a verbal slip from the President. While stating how many troops would benefit from the Warrior Dividend, Mr Trump initially mispronounced the number.
He first stated the figure as "one thousand, four hundred and fifty thousand", a confusing phrasing that conflates thousands and millions. The correct number of eligible military personnel is 1.45 million, or one million, four hundred and fifty thousand. The President did subsequently correct himself during the address to clarify the figure.
Context and Immediate Aftermath
The announcement places a substantial financial commitment to the military into the public spotlight just days before the Christmas holiday period. The symbolic choice of $1,776 ties the payment directly to national pride and founding history, a common rhetorical theme of the Trump administration.
However, the last-minute nature of the policy's finalisation and the stumble during its revelation are likely to attract scrutiny from political opponents and commentators. The focus will now shift to the practical implementation of the payments and the wider budgetary implications of the $2.5bn expenditure.
