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President Donald Trump’s proposal to send tariff “dividend” checks to some Americans “has to do with the 2026 election,” Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo said. During a Tuesday appearance on Fox News, Bartiromo drew a link between Democrats’ sweeping electoral wins and Trump’s ensuing plan to send up to $2,000 to low- and middle-income Americans from U.S. tariff revenues. That money would be better used on paying down the country’s staggering national debt, Bartiromo said, but “then again, who doesn’t want an extra $2,000 in your bank account right before Christmas.” “It also has to do with an election, the 2026 election,” Bartiromo said of Trump’s rebate check plan. “We recognize that Tuesday’s election was all about affordability, that’s what they’re talking about.” Bartiromo’s assessment was supported by exit poll data indicating American voters were motivated by economic anxiety and financial uncertainty heading into this year’s elections. In New Jersey, 32% of voters said the economy was the top issue facing the state, according to the AP Voter Poll by SSRS. Nearly 5 in 10 Virginia voters named the economy as their main concern, while about 6 in 10 New York City voters pointed to ballooning housing prices as the biggest problem. Americans also signaled growing discontent with Trump’s job performance and leadership. About 6 in 10 voters in Virginia and New Jersey said they are “angry” or “dissatisfied” with the country’s direction, and half of California voters described themselves as “angry.” Recent surveys have also shown that Americans are increasingly frustrated with the effects of Trump’s trade wars. A recent Ipsos poll found that over 6 in 10 Americans believe Trump’s tariffs have fueled inflation, and 55% said they are hurting their family’s financial situation. As of this October, Americans faced an average effective tariff rate of nearly 17.9% — the highest level since 1934 — according to data from the Yale Budget Lab. Trump has called those who oppose his tariffs “FOOLS!” while claiming that the U.S. is “taking in Trillions of Dollars” in an effort to pay down its $38-trillion national debt. The U.S. has collected roughly $195 billion in customs duties through September of this year, according to the Treasury Department’s latest statement. Following the GOP’s electoral losses and a year before the 2026 midterms, Trump has grown more adament about sending stimulus checks to millions of Americans. Though details of a payment plan and eligibility requirements remain scarce, Bartiromo believes the president is looking to win back voters who have grown dissatisfied with the Republican party. “I’m sure Republicans are going to start using affordability in their talking points,” she said. “So that will be a theme going into the 2026 elections. “And two-thousand dollars for certain people, I think it will go a long way. So, good for him. But I still would rather the money go toward debt reduction.”
