Overview
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Trump remains committed to a $2,000 payout funded by tariff receipts and that advisers are evaluating how to deliver it.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said no decision has been made, signaled the benefit could take the form of tax changes or credits, and floated a potential cutoff for families earning under about $100,000.
- Official data show roughly $195 billion in tariff revenue through Sept. 30, while outside estimates put the cost of $2,000 payments to most adults near $300 billion and as high as $600 billion for broader eligibility.
- Any rebate or dividend would require congressional authorization, and a pending Supreme Court case reviewing the administration’s tariff authority could disrupt the revenue stream or force refunds to importers.
- Economists warn direct checks could reignite inflation, and betting markets assign low odds to payments being issued this year.