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Senior officials from the Trump administration dampened expectations this weekend that had been raised by the president himself, who had promised a $2,000 "dividend" funded by tariff revenues.
Key secretaries and advisors from Donald Trump's government clarified this Sunday the president's statements, who had announced from his Truth Social platform a series of measures that included direct payments to citizens and a reform of the healthcare system based on individual transfers.
The most striking of their promises: a check for $2,000 per person, supposedly funded by the revenue generated from their tariff policy.
But while the president claimed that these funds would reduce the national debt and improve access to private health insurance, his officials were quick to tone it down.
“We do not have a formal proposal”, clarified the Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, during an interview with ABC News. “We are not presenting it to the Senate right now, no.”
The director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, was in the same vein and described the president's announcements as a search for ideas amid the legislative deadlock caused by the prolonged partial government shutdown.
"The president proposed this idea yesterday. I don't think it has been widely debated in the Senate yet. It's the weekend," he said on Face the Nation, from CBS News.
A check for tariffs and healthcare reform by digital decree
Trump's proposals were posted on Saturday and Sunday on his social network, Truth Social, during a time of political tension due to the partial government shutdown, which had already reached 41 days that weekend.
In his first message, the president suggested eliminating subsidies to private insurers within the framework of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and instead, sending that money directly to citizens so they can choose their own insurance.
"I recommend to Republican senators that the hundreds of billions of dollars currently allocated to profitable insurance companies to save the inadequate healthcare provided by Obamacare should be sent directly to the people so they can purchase their own much better health insurance," he wrote.
The next day, he insisted that Republicans should deposit that money into health savings accounts, which allow for tax-free savings for medical expenses.
In another message, he promised economic dividends derived from his tariff policy: “We are collecting trillions of dollars, and we will soon begin to pay off our HUGE $37 trillion DEBT. […] A dividend of at least $2,000 per person will be paid (excluding high-income individuals!) to everyone.”
Priority: Reopen the government, not promise checks
Although Trump promoted these ideas as urgent proposals, the economic spokespeople in his cabinet emphasized that none of this can be seriously discussed until the government is reopened.
"The president is making a statement about it, but I repeat, first we need to reopen the government. We will not negotiate with the Democrats until they reopen the government. It's very simple," Bessent emphasized.
Both he and Hassett avoided confirming the existence of any legislative draft or formal proposal to fulfill the president's promises.
Both interpreted them as discursive tools, part of a strategy to force an agreement in the Senate. "He is looking for ideas and trying to help the Senate reach a deal that would allow the government to reopen," Hassett explained.
Where would the money come from?
Regarding the viability of a "tariff dividend," Bessent was cautious.
He admitted that he had not yet spoken with the president about that particular proposal and suggested that it could take other forms: tax deductions, tax exemptions, or tax reforms.
He mentioned, for example, the possible elimination of taxes on tips, overtime, Social Security contributions, or car loans, all supposedly financed by tariff revenues.
The concept of checks financed with commercial revenues is not new.
In July, Republican Senator Josh Hawley introduced a bill proposing to send $600 checks to every citizen, using funds raised from tariff fees.
However, that initiative has not yet been put to a vote in the Senate and has not received majority support.
Political crisis and electoral warning
Trump's posts and the subsequent clarifications from his officials occurred while Congress remained stalled due to the partial government shutdown, which prompted lawmakers to hold sessions over the weekend.
Although a preliminary agreement was reached on Sunday night to end the shutdown, the stalemate had started to take a political toll.
A survey by NBC News revealed that voters held Republicans more accountable than Democrats for the situation.
This was complemented by the results of the elections held the previous Tuesday, in which the Democrats achieved significant victories in key states such as New Jersey and Virginia.
The exit polls showed a high level of disapproval for Trump's administration, particularly regarding the economy.
Since then, the president has insisted that the U.S. economy is strong and has defended his trade policy as a success. “Those who oppose tariffs are fools!” he wrote on Sunday on Truth Social.
"Now we are the richest and most respected country in the world, with almost zero inflation and a record price in the stock market," he added.
Promise without institutional anchoring
What happened this weekend reflects a pattern that has characterized Trump's presidency: large-scale promises made through social media without clear institutional support.
Although the president continues to use his platform to set the political agenda, officials within his own government seem more focused on managing expectations than on creating mechanisms to meet them.
In a context of increasing electoral pressure and with the threat of a new round of primaries on the horizon, announcements of direct checks and tariff dividends could be more a part of a political mobilization strategy than a legislative roadmap.
For now, the promise of the $2,000 "tariff check" seems to be more of a headline than a policy in the making. The gap between presidential messages and the actions of his cabinet only confirms that, in times of crisis, not every announcement translates into a plan.
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