President Donald Trump asserted that the promised $2,000 check funded by tariff revenue will arrive “at some point next year,” a statement that keeps alive the hope of millions of Americans, but also raises serious questions about its legal, financial, and political feasibility.
The president spoke aboard Air Force One during a flight to Florida on Friday, defending that these payments would not be “imaginary money,” but rather “real” resources that, according to him, come from other countries through his tariff policy.
"When I pay 2,000 dollars per person... that is real money, not made up. That comes from other countries," he said in a video shared by the account Rapid Response 47.
The statement comes amid a tense political climate, with courts questioning the presidential authority to impose tariffs under emergency powers and with lawmakers hesitant to support new spending measures amid a fiscal crisis.
A promise that remains unfulfilled
Trump has been insisting for weeks that his trade policy has made the United States a “richer and more respected” country, capable of distributing a dividend of at least $2,000 per person, except for those with high incomes. He presented it as a sort of “profit-sharing” generated by tariffs on foreign products.
But the White House still has not explained how or when the payments would be made. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated days ago that the president is “committed” to the idea and that his team is exploring “all legal options.” No dates or details were provided.
The Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, for his part, dampened the enthusiasm. He stated that the benefits "could come in many forms," ranging from tax cuts to deductions for tips or overtime, and acknowledged that there is no formal proposal. "We're not presenting it to the Senate right now," he clarified.
Numbers that don't add up
The figures also do not support the promise. The federal government collected $195 billion in tariffs in the last fiscal year, but just a $2,000 check per person for approximately 150 million middle- and low-income adults would cost nearly $300 billion. And that's not accounting for dependents, mentions Forbes.
Economists warn that a program of that magnitude would increase the deficit and could generate inflationary pressures, as happened with the stimulus checks during the pandemic.
To cover the shortfall, the Trump administration has suggested that it could rely on "anticipated" tariff revenues, projected at three trillion dollars over the next decade, an unprecedented fiscal maneuver that would likely face legal challenges.
However, this is not the first time Trump has proposed a massive payment without a clear plan. In February, he mentioned a "DOGE dividend" of $5,000 funded by alleged savings from Elon Musk's Government Efficiency Department; that check never materialized.
The project by Senator Josh Hawley to send checks of up to $2,400 funded by tariff money has also not progressed. It has not been voted on and lacks sufficient support in Congress.
Between hope and confusion
has gained traction on social media, where low-income users, migrant families, and Hispanic workers, many of whom are Cuban, ask daily if a “check is actually coming.”
The mix of contradictory messages from the White House fuels further confusion. Trump promises direct payments; his Treasury discusses tax cuts; economic advisors say there is no proposal; and the Supreme Court is examining whether the tariffs that supposedly would fund that dividend are even legal.
Still, Trump reiterated from the presidential plane: "The payments are coming. At some point next year, during the year."
For now, the promise of the tariff check is caught between the enthusiasm of those who need it and the uncertainty of a plan that still struggles to exist on paper.
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