President Donald Trump on Sunday announced that a dividend payment of “at least” $2,000 would be paid to most Americans from US tariff revenues.
In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion.”
“A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”
The Supreme Court is currently reviewing the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariffs, which he has justified under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Lower courts previously determined that many of the levies were unlawful.
The president had floated the idea of a $1,000 to $2,000 “distribution to the people” in an interview with One America News Network in October, touting tariff revenues he predicted would bring in over a trillion dollars a year.
The Treasury Department said in its September statement that it has collected $195 billion from customs duties in the fiscal year 2025.
For consumers, the idea of a dividend payout may be particularly welcome amid mounting cost-of-living pressures and the ongoing government shutdown.
But any such scheme would likely need congressional approval, and Trump has previously signaled he would prefer to use tariff revenues to tackle the national debt.
This is a developing story, check back for more details.
