Trump reveals when ‘moderate income’ Americans can expect to get $2,000 checks after promising to give cash to almost everyone in America

President Donald Trump has renewed his pledge to deliver so-called “tariff dividends” to Americans, promising the payments will arrive before the 2026 midterm elections.

Speaking during an Oval Office event promoting the FIFA World Cup coming to the United States, Trump hinted the payouts could amount to “thousands of dollars” for moderate-income individuals.

How the $2,000 Dividend Could Work

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has previously confirmed that the idea of $2,000 dividend checks is under discussion, though he stressed that nothing is finalized. He also clarified that the payments may not come as direct checks.

“It could come in lots of forms,” Bessent told reporters, via the New York Post.

“You know, it could be just the tax decreases that we are seeing following the Big Beautiful Bill – no tax on tips, overtime, Social Security relief, and deductibility of auto loans.”

Trump has also taken to Truth Social to reiterate the plan, writing that “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”

Bessent added that there could be an income cap of around $100,000, meaning higher-income families would likely be excluded.

“Everything is on the table. That would be for working families. We will have an income limit,” Bessent said.

Donald Trump. Credit: Mike Stobe / Getty Images.

Congressional Hurdles and Debt Concerns

So, when can Americans expect the payment?

“We’re gonna be issuing dividends later on, somewhere prior to – the middle of next year, a little bit later than that,” Trump said.

“Thousands of dollars, for individuals of moderate income.”

Despite Trump’s enthusiasm, there are significant obstacles to implementing the plan.

Congress would need to approve the payouts, and some Republican allies have already expressed skepticism.

Critics argue that the growing national debt makes large-scale dividends unrealistic.

“It’ll never pass. We have a $37 trillion debt,” Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio told reporters in July, according to Business Insider.

The Treasury Department reports that the debt has now surpassed $38 trillion as of November.

Credit: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images.

Tariffs: The Funding Source

Trump frames the tariff dividends as a reward from his administration’s aggressive trade policies.

He claims the tariffs are bringing in “trillions of dollars” to the federal coffers, which could fund the proposed payouts.

However, the plan depends heavily on the legal status of these tariffs. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing their legality, and if any are struck down, the government may be forced to refund tariffs already collected, complicating Trump’s dividend plan.

As of now, Trump and Bessent have offered little detail beyond the timeline and income guidelines.

Questions remain over whether the $2,000 payments will be direct checks, tax breaks, or a combination of both.

Meanwhile, lawmakers continue to weigh the plan against budgetary realities and broader economic implications, leaving the future of the “tariff dividend” uncertain.

Featured image credit: Leon Neal / Getty Images.