Overview
- National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the payments would require legislation and asserted recent tariff receipts could fund $2,000 checks without affecting the broader budget.
- Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration is exploring legal pathways to issue the payments, but no design details or timeline have been released.
- Independent estimates from the Tax Foundation, CRFB and the Tax Policy Center put the cost of a single round near $300 billion to roughly $600 billion, casting doubt on full funding from tariffs.
- Treasury data show about $195 billion in customs duties in fiscal year 2025, far below the “trillions” in tariff revenue the president has claimed.
- A Supreme Court review of tariff authority and tepid reactions from Republican lawmakers present additional hurdles, and no checks are scheduled.