Trump said Monday that Americans should start seeing $2,000 tariff stimulus checks hit their accounts around mid-2026, locking in a date for a payout he’s floated for weeks now.
Speaking from the White House, he told reporters the checks would go to middle- and moderate-income individuals, just months before critical midterm elections.
According to Axios, this is the first time Trump has attached an actual timeframe to the plan, which until now had been more slogan than policy.
He said the money would come from tariff revenues, calling it a “dividend” for citizens who’ve carried the weight of global trade. But for the payments to happen, Congress has to pass new legislation, and it’s not at all clear if that’s even on lawmakers’ radar.
Bessent confirms the plan needs legislation, offers no clarity on delivery
Scott Bessent, who runs the Treasury, said over the weekend that the administration can’t distribute any stimulus without Congress acting first.
He made that clear during an interview on Fox News, saying, “We need legislation.” When asked if the checks were guaranteed, Scott shrugged it off: “We will see.” He also hinted that the money might not come as paper checks at all; maybe tax rebates, maybe something else. It’s still being worked out.
Trump, for his part, kept things vague. “We’re going to be issuing dividends later on, somewhere prior to, you know, probably the middle of next year, a little bit later than that,” he said.
He estimated the amount would be “thousands of dollars” but didn’t give more details. There was no word on how the eligibility would be determined, how the funds would be transferred, or how they’d prevent fraud, just that it’s coming.
But pulling it off won’t be cheap.If the payout goes to individuals instead of households, and only targets middle- and low-income Americans, the total cost could top $200 billion.
That’s more than what tariffs brought in during 2025, and about half of what’s projected for 2026. The numbers are huge, and the math doesn’t exactly balance out.
Legal fight over tariffs adds more pressure to the plan’s future
A separate fight could wreck the whole idea before it starts. The Supreme Court is set to rule in the coming months on whether many of Trump’s tariffs are even legal.
If he loses, he says it could cost the country $3 trillion in refunds and lost business, a number critics say is exaggerated but still serious enough to scare lawmakers off any new spending tied to tariffs.
Even with that legal cloud hanging, Trump continues to pitch tariffs as the centerpiece of his economic agenda. He claims they protect American jobs, force trade partners to play fair, and bring in revenue without raising taxes.
And now, he says, they’ll bankroll direct payments to Americans. It’s part of a broader “affordability” push by Republicans trying to win back momentum after Democrats swept major elections earlier this month.
Trump also said Friday that he’s open to cutting tariffs on things like beef, coffee, tropical fruits, and other commodities. That’s despite insisting tariffs don’t raise consumer prices. On Truth Social, he posted, “Affordability is a lie when used by the Dems. It is a complete CON JOB.”
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