Former President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he plans to give “at least $2,000” directly to Americans using money collected from tariffs. He made the announcement on Truth Social, saying it would help taxpayers and reduce the national debt. This comes as his tariff policy is being reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Main Points

Trump called people who oppose his tariff policy “fools.” His comments came days after the Supreme Court questioned whether his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs was legal.

He said the $2,000 payments would not go to “high-income” people, but he did not explain what income level would be excluded.

Trump did not share details about when or how these payments would be sent.

Trump’s Tariff Policy

The Supreme Court recently heard two cases challenging Trump’s broad use of tariffs. Trump first put tariffs on countries like Canada, Mexico, and China, and later expanded them to many other nations. He used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to do this, but justices from both conservative and liberal sides showed doubt about whether this law gives him that power.
In a recent 60 Minutes interview, Trump said it would be a “sad day” if the court blocked his tariffs, warning that it would hurt the U.S. economy.

Tariff Revenue and Debt

Trump claimed the U.S. is collecting “trillions of dollars” and will soon start paying off its $37 trillion debt. However, the Treasury Department reported that tariff revenue for the 2025 fiscal year was about $195 billion.
According to the Yale Budget Lab, Trump’s tariffs could raise up to $2.6 trillion between 2026 and 2035. But if the Supreme Court rules against his use of the law, that amount could drop by more than half. The U.S. national debt is now over $38.1 trillion.

Contra

Speaking on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had not talked to Trump about giving Americans a “tariff dividend.” He suggested that the benefit might instead come through tax cuts already included in Trump’s policy plans. “The $2,000 dividend could come in many forms,” Bessent said. “It might just be the tax cuts we see in the president’s plan—no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, and tax deductions for car loans. These are major deductions funded through the new tax bill.” These measures are part of Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” a large spending plan that became law in July.

Key Background

This isn’t the first time Trump has suggested giving Americans money from tariff revenues, even though tariffs can raise prices on imported goods. In July, Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri proposed giving $600 rebate checks to Americans. Trump mentioned a similar idea in October, saying, “We might make a distribution to the people, like a dividend to the people of America,” and suggested the checks could range from $1,000 to $2,000.

Published: 10th November 2025

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