Overview
- Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president is committed to a $2,000 payment funded by tariff revenue, with aides now evaluating how to execute the idea.
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said no final decision has been made, suggested the benefit could take the form of tax changes rather than checks, and floated an income cutoff around $100,000 as under discussion.
- Treasury data show roughly $195 billion in tariff receipts through late September, while watchdogs estimate a $2,000 payout would cost about $300 billion to $600 billion depending on eligibility.
- Any payments would likely require congressional authorization, and a Supreme Court case reviewing the administration’s tariff authority could trigger refunds of collected duties.
- Economists warn the proposal risks reigniting inflation and note importers have passed much of the tariff burden to consumers, while betting markets assign low odds to checks arriving this year.