President Donald Trump is drawing all kinds of reactions with an announcement he posted on Truth Social: “A dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”
In the same post, Trump added: “People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!”
The tariff dividend announcement revived a headline-grabbing idea Trump first floated during his presidency. He suggested using tariffs collected from imports to deliver direct cash payments to Americans. And while everyone may be open to welcoming an extra check or two, it has a few key people puzzled about this logistics and merits of this idea.
Officials have not yet explained how the payments would be delivered, who would qualify, or how the plan would comply with federal law. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, per ABC News, said the dividend could come “in lots of forms.”
He added, “It could be just the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president’s agenda. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, deductibility on auto loans. Those are substantial deductions that are being financed in the tax bill.”
It sounds as if the Treasury Secretary wasn’t too sure about how the rebate would work either.
Economists warn the plan is unlikely to cover all Americans. Investopedia reports that the Tax Foundation estimates that paying $2,000 to approximately 150 million adults making under $100,000 would cost around $300 billion.
Current U.S. tariff revenue is far below that figure, meaning Congress would likely need to authorize additional funding, per The Hill.
There are also legal challenges with this rebate plan. Some tariffs imposed under Trump’s prior administration have been challenged in court, and lower courts have questioned the president’s authority to redirect tariff funds. According to Al Jazeera, the Supreme Court recently heard cases that could limit the administration’s tariff powers, potentially affecting any future dividend payments.
Trump Wants $2,000 Dividend Checks For Most Americans https://t.co/bybHzsyXef #Trump #StimulusChecks #EconomicRelief #Dividends #TaxReform pic.twitter.com/CrAME6F1P7
— Dustin Peyser (@DustinMPeyser) November 9, 2025
White House officials, including economic adviser Kevin Hassett, have confirmed the idea is under review but acknowledge the legal and logistical barriers. Reuters reports Hassett said the plan is “one of the really good ideas,” but noted it may take months or require legislative action to implement.
Social media response among Trump supporters has been interesting. Hashtags like #StimulusChecks and #TrumpPayback trended on X (formerly Twitter) after the announcement. Some people were enthusiastic about receiving money while others were a little more wary.
One skeptic stated, “@realDonaldTrump you know both @HouseGOP & @SenateGOP will never send out #Stimuluschecks this is one thing they will fight you on. Even people in your cabinet are saying “what you mean is” because they know the legislative branch will tell you NO!!
The administration has not released timelines, guidelines, or detailed cost projections. Multiple outlets emphasize that the proposal is still a plan, not formal policy. Treasury officials have said the next steps will involve evaluating how to structure payments and whether tax law changes will be necessary.
For now, the $2,000 tariff dividend is officially a proposal, a public promise by Trump reported widely in the news. The public, lawmakers, and economists are watching closely, but exact details remain unknown.
