In an unusual move, President Donald Trump, during a speech at the 2026 Republican National Convention, told Americans that every adult citizen would receive a $5,000 dividend if the Republicans triumph during the midterm elections in November.
The move would likely cost the government more $1.2 trillion, and members of both the Democratic and Republican parties seemed to have serious concerns with Trump's announcement.
I have no idea which party will win at the midterm elections, or if Trump could actually make such a payout if the Republicans did win. But I do know that investors don't need to wait to start earning passive income.
Set Trump's promise aside and buy these three fantastic dividend stocks instead, which yield 3.3% to 5.5%.
Image source: The White House.
Realty Income -- 5.5%
The real estate investment trust (REIT) Realty Income (O -0.12%) is regularly touted as one of the most reliable dividend stocks around. After all, the company calls itself "The Monthly Dividend Company."
Realty Income is a triple-net lease operator, meaning it purchases real estate with the intention of leasing it to businesses that pay for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs. In turn, tenants may be able to negotiate longer-term leases at better rates, while having more flexibility over the space they use for their businesses.
Realty Income focuses on leasing to non-discretionary, service-oriented businesses that can be more resilient throughout the business cycle, such as Dollar General and 7-Eleven. Realty Income also leases industrial properties and data centers.
NYSE: O
Key Data Points
Realty Income began paying a dividend in 1994 and has raised it every year since, at a compound annual growth rate of 4.1%. Not only is the dividend yield quite strong, but Realty Income's business appears robust enough to sustain this trend.
Through the first half of the year, Realty Income generated adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share of $2.22, a metric similar to free cash flow for REITs.
Realty Income paid dividends of roughly $1.63 per share in that period, or 73% of AFFO, leaving a nice buffer to continue raising the dividend for the foreseeable future.
AT&T -- 4.3%
The multinational telecommunications company AT&T (T +2.00%) is another strong dividend payer, with a trailing yield of 4.3%.
AT&T provides fiber-optic high-speed internet and fixed wireless, which is internet delivered via radio signals from a transmission tower, as well as mobile wireless phone and data services. AT&T's wireless network is the largest in North America, covering more than 300 million people.
Up until 2020, AT&T had increased its annual dividend for 36 straight years, according to Barrons. However, the company ended up cutting its dividend after it spun off its WarnerMedia assets in 2022.
Since then, AT&T has held its quarterly dividend unchanged at $0.2775 per share.
Although some dividend investors may want to see the dividend grow every year, the dividend at current levels does feel quite safe. Through the first half of the year, AT&T paid nearly $4 billion of dividends, while generating free cash flow of nearly $7.2 billion.
Additionally, AT&T continues to pay down debt and buy back stock, which also benefits the stock.
Chevron -- 3.3%
Last but not least is the large U.S. oil and gas producer Chevron (CVX +0.61%).
Chevron has raised its annual dividend every year since 2002, but it's been paying solid dividends since 1990, although it didn't always raise the dividend each year between then and 2002.
NYSE: CVX
Key Data Points
The dividend also looks to be in particularly good shape, as free cash flow has soared thanks to higher oil prices, cost efficiencies, and record production. Free cash flow of more than $16.5 billion through the first half of 2026 easily covers the roughly $7 billion in common dividends paid in that time frame.
Free cash flow through the first half of 2025 was only about $6.1 billion, although it still covered dividends at the time.
