Trump promises $2,000 tariff dividend payment to every American

President Donald Trump on Sunday pledged to issue a $2,000 payment to every American, describing it as a tariff “dividend” funded by the revenue generated from his administration’s tariffs.

Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post on Sunday morning, pushing back against critics of his trade policy.

“People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!” the president wrote. “We are now the Richest, Most Respected Country In the World, With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price. 401k’s are Highest EVER.”

“We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion. Record Investment in the USA, plants and factories going up all over the place. A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone,” he added.

The proposal mirrors the COVID-19 stimulus checks distributed during the pandemic, when Americans received direct payments from the federal government. The announcement follows data showing the US collected roughly $151 billion in import duties between April and October, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has projected that annual tariff revenues could surpass $500 billion.

Trump’s sweeping use of tariffs has drawn both criticism and legal scrutiny. On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning the emergency authority Trump invoked to impose his “Liberation Day” tariffs. The administration relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which allows presidents to take broad economic action during national emergencies.

Trump declared the US trade deficit a national emergency earlier this year, using the IEEPA to levy a 10 percent tariff on most imports through executive order. Several justices appeared skeptical that the law grants the president the authority Trump claims it does.