Trump Proposes $2,000 Tariff Dividend for Americans
Washington, The Gulf Observer: President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that every American citizen will receive a minimum of $2,000 from tariff revenue collected by his administration, a move he described as a direct dividend from the country’s trade policy.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, the president stated, “A dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone,” adding that those who oppose the tariffs are “FOOLS!”
The proposal, which would likely require Congressional approval, comes as the administration continues to collect record sums in tariff duties following sweeping tariffs imposed earlier this year on major trading partners.
Earlier this summer, Republican Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) introduced legislation proposing $600 tariff rebates for most Americans and their dependent children. “My legislation would allow hardworking Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump’s tariffs are returning to this country,” Hawley said at the time.
Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC in August that the administration’s primary objective remains reducing the $38.12 trillion national debt using tariff revenues.
On Sunday, President Trump reiterated that stance, saying the administration would also direct tariff income toward paying down the nation’s “ENORMOUS” debt.
According to the U.S. Treasury Department’s September report, the government collected $195 billion in tariff duties through the first three quarters of this year. However, the Yale Budget Lab noted that, as of October 17, consumers are paying an average effective tariff rate of 18 percent — the highest since 1934.
Economists have observed that while tariffs have boosted federal revenue, many companies have passed on the increased costs to consumers, contributing to higher prices in some sectors.
The president’s announcement signals a possible shift in how the administration plans to utilize tariff funds — balancing direct payments to citizens with efforts to address the growing national debt.
