Overview
- President Trump repeated on Truth Social that low- and middle-income Americans would receive at least $2,000 each funded by tariff receipts.
- Treasury data show roughly $195 billion in customs duties collected in the fiscal year through September, far short of the $300–$600 billion many analysts estimate such payments would cost.
- Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent said no concrete plan exists and suggested any benefit could come through tax changes rather than direct checks.
- Congress controls federal spending, so new payments would need legislative approval, and a pending Supreme Court case over tariff authority adds legal uncertainty.
- Economists note U.S. consumers and businesses shoulder much of the tariff burden and warn large payments risk reigniting inflation.