Donald Trump isn\u2019t slowing down. Nearly a year into his second term, the president is louder, bolder, and more determined to push his agenda in ways he never fully attempted during his first four years. And while his second-term approach has sparked plenty of debate \u2014 from his controversial attempts at brokering a Russia-Ukraine peace deal to his tense exchanges with reporters \u2014 he continues rolling out promises that grab the country\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His latest? A plan to send out $2,000 \u201cdividend\u201d checks<\/strong> to most Americans, funded entirely by money the U.S. collects from tariffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During a December 2 Cabinet meeting, Trump claimed that the U.S. has taken in \u201ctrillions\u201d from tariffs and that a portion of that revenue would soon be distributed back to citizens. According to FOX News, he suggested that these refunds could arrive as early as 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ve taken in hundreds of billions of dollars in tariff money,\u201d Trump said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to be issuing dividends later on\u2026 thousands of dollars for individuals of moderate income, middle income.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also hinted that tariff revenue could be used to lower or potentially eliminate income taxes<\/strong>, saying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Continue reading on next page\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cWhether you get rid of it or just keep it around for fun\u2026 you will not be paying income taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside the promised checks, Trump insisted that tariff revenue would also help shrink the national debt, which now sits at roughly $37 trillion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Would the Checks Arrive?<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the idea has sparked excitement, Trump clarified that these payments won\u2019t go out in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, no. Not for this year. It\u2019ll be next year sometime,\u201d he confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That leaves 2026 as the earliest realistic timeline \u2014 and even that isn\u2019t officially confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many experts are highly skeptical about the math behind Trump\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Erica York of the Tax Foundation broke it down on X:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf the cutoff is $100,000, 150 million adults would qualify, for a cost near $300 billion. Only problem: new tariffs have raised $120 billion so far.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, the revenue Trump says will fund these checks may not be enough to cover even half the cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This isn\u2019t the first time Trump has floated headline-grabbing financial rewards:<\/p>\n\n\n\n February 2025<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014 He proposed a $5,000 \u201cDOGE dividend\u201d tied to efficiency savings from Elon Musk\u2019s Department of Government Efficiency. No payments have materialized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThousands of Dollars\u201d in Dividends, Trump Says<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Economists Raise Serious Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A Pattern of Big Promises<\/h3>\n\n\n\n