Is a $2,000 stimulus check on the way in the US? These would be the Americans who would not receive Trump’s tariff dividend

President Donald Trump dangled the idea of sending tariff dividend checks to Americans once again on Sunday. He has been floating the idea since this summer claiming that his tariffs have been raking in “Trillions of Dollars.”

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, he said that “everyone” except for “high income people” would receive “at least $2,000.” Trump did not give the exact details of the income limits for who would be eligible, but that may be a moot point as there are several hurdles to any such proposal becoming a reality.

What to know about Trump’s tariff dividend checks

Before any “tariff dividend checks” could be sent out, it would be up to Congress to pass any such measure into law like the stimulus checks during the pandemic. While Republicans are in control of both chambers, such a proposal could face stiff opposition as it would be extremely costly.

Erica York, vice president of tax policy at the Tax Foundation, estimates that if the income cutoff limit were $100,000, that would make around 150 million adults eligible for a check. That would add up to roughly $300 billion dollars, and if kids were included even more.

While Trump claims that his tariffs have brought in trillions, the Treasury’s own data says that customs duties have only brought in $195 billion as of 30 September this year. Furthermore, the US is running a deficit of almost $1.8 trillion, and Trump claims revenue from his tariffs will help pay down the nation’s “ENORMOUS DEBT.”

On top of that, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the legality of Trump imposing new tariffs via executive order. Tariffs are taxes on goods entering the nation that are paid for in this case by Americans, and the Constitution clearly states that only Congress has the authority to impose new taxes on citizens.

Even the White House’s lawyers didn’t deny that Trump’s tariffs are taxes when the Justices stated the fact. If the Justices rule against Trump, the Treasury may be forced to refund the billions that have already been collected so far to importers.

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