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President Donald Trump has announced a plan to send direct payments of at least $2,000 to most Americans, with the funds coming from tariffs his administration has imposed on foreign goods. Trump announced the proposal on Truth Social, stating that high-income earners would be excluded from receiving payments. “A dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone,” he said. Related: The 1 big thing you need to know about how Trump’s tariffs have driven up prices The administration has not released specifics about income thresholds for eligibility. For comparison, pandemic-era stimulus checks used income limits of $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for families. The proposed payments would draw from tariff revenue, which are taxes companies pay on imported goods. The Treasury Department reports that tariffs have brought in approximately $195 billion during the first three quarters of this year. Trump has positioned tariff revenue as serving dual purposes. “We’ll pay back debt, but we also might make a distribution to the people, almost like a dividend to the people of America,” Trump said recently. Related: Yes, some Americans will soon get a hefty stimulus check. But probably not you Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has clarified that no formal payment plan currently exists. He suggested that benefits to Americans could come through tax policy changes instead. “It could be just the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president’s agenda,” Bessent said in a recent interview. “You know, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security. Deductibility of auto loans.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans received three rounds of stimulus payments totaling up to $1,200 in April 2020, $600 in December 2020, and $1,400 in March 2021. More on Politics Democrats could gain 20 House seats in 2026, CNN analyst says Poll: 72% of Americans more likely to support candidates who protect the environment About that Beacon Hill audit. One year later, and still no action | Bay State Briefing Gov. Healey on Trump admin demands to ‘undo’ full SNAP benefits: ‘See him in court’ SNAP update: Trump admin tells states to ‘immediately undo’ full benefits sent to families
