US President Donald Trump has assured Americans that his proposed US$2,000 tariff dividend checks are on the way, although an exact date has not been set. He recently confirmed that payments would not arrive in time for the Christmas season.
“It’s going to be next year. Tariffs allow us to pay a dividend. We’re going to pay a dividend and we’re also going to reduce the debt,” Trump said Friday (Nov. 14) aboard Air Force One en route to Mar-a-Lago.
The Supreme Court refers to the loom
The introduction of tariff dividend controls faces uncertainty due to ongoing legal challenges. The Supreme Court recently held a tough oral argument regarding the administration’s “reciprocal” tariffs.
Asked if dividend checks would still be sent if the Supreme Court struck down the tariffs, Trump said: “Then I’d have to do something else.”
Details still under negotiation
Trump administration officials have not yet provided details on how the rebate checks would work. Finance Minister Scott Bessent has suggested a revenue cap is being considered.
“Well, there’s a lot of possibilities that the president is talking about a $2,000 rebate and those — that would be for families that make less than, say, $100,000,” Bessent told Fox & Friends. He later clarified that “it’s under discussion” and “we haven’t defined that limit.”
The president did not specify a specific income threshold.
Controversial use of IEEPA
The tariff dividend plan comes amid scrutiny over Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs. Trump invoked the statute, which does not mention tariffs, in a way no previous president had.
The Supreme Court’s skepticism about the tariffs signals a potential roadblock to the administration’s plan.
