Jim Himes
Role at the time: U.S. Representative (D-CT)
Condemned
Statement summary
Rep. Jim Himes compared Trump's $5,000 election-conditioned pledge to an act that would result in his own arrest if he personally offered similar terms, calling it effectively a bribe.
“I have no doubt that if I walked down there right now and said, "I will pay you $5,000 if you focus your buying on the three-year treasury," that conversation would end with me in handcuffs.”
Open source (opens in a new tab)Bessent defends Trump's $5,000 giveaway, denies it will increase the deficit
National Review report on the September 15, 2026 House Financial Services Committee hearing, including Rep. Jim Himes's comparison of the pledge to bribery.
Why we used this label
Himes analogizes the pledge to an act that would result in criminal charges if he personally offered it, a direct condemnation characterizing the pledge as a bribe.