Donald Trump has proposed sending $2,000 checks to Americans, and the question now is: Who could be eligible for this financial relief?
This proposal would mark a significant distribution of funds from the tariffs that the US has imposed on foreign nations, potentially offering direct relief to American families.
However, any disbursement would require approval from a divided Congress.
The Tariff Program and Its Revenues
Trump’s tariffs, which began in April 2025, have brought in hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue, with the Treasury Department reporting $214.9 billion in tariffs collected this year alone, according to Fox Business.
The program was designed to generate income by imposing steep levies on foreign countries, particularly targeting those with trade imbalances with the US.
The 79-year-old has been outspoken about the wider economic impact of it, and has suggested that it could ultimately result in over $1 trillion annually.
“They (tariffs) are just starting to kick in,” Trump told One America News Network (OANN), cited by The New York Post. “Ultimately, your tariffs are going to be over a trillion dollars a year.”
He highlighted that the funds from the tariffs will primarily be used to "pay down" the US national debt, which currently stands at an alarming $37 trillion.
A Proposal to Distribute Funds to Americans
While paying down the national debt remains the president's primary goal for tariff revenue, he also floated the idea of providing direct financial benefits to Americans.
He has suggested that a portion of the revenue could be distributed as a rebate to citizens, describing it as “a dividend to the people of America".
“We’re thinking maybe $1,000 to $2,000 - it would be great,” Trump said during the interview, emphasizing that it would provide relief to families struggling with the economic impact of the pandemic and rising costs.
However, Trump’s rebate plan faces an obstacle in Congress. Any distribution of funds would need legislative approval, and with a divided Congress, it’s unclear whether the proposal will gain enough traction.
Despite this, Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri has already tried to push for such a rebate with his American Worker Rebate Act, which was introduced in July 2025 and aims to provide families with tariff rebate checks similar to the COVID-era stimulus checks.
Per the Daily Mail, Hawley’s proposal suggests that the amounts could vary, with at least $600 per adult and child, totaling $2,400 for a family of four.
The program would also include income limits, reducing the rebate by 5% for joint filers earning more than $150,000 annually, heads of household earning over $112,500, and individual taxpayers making over $75,000.
The legislation, which would be set up as a refundable tax credit, still needs to pass through Congress before it can be implemented.
Some courts are questioning the legality of Trump’s tariff program.
In August, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that an emergency powers law did not cover most of the tariffs.
Despite this, the tariffs remain in place pending the Supreme Court’s review, with oral arguments expected in November 2025.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has revealed that if the Supreme Court rules that the tariffs were imposed illegally, the government could be forced to refund between $750 billion to $1 trillion in collected and projected tariff revenue.