The President of the Nation, Donald Trump, has just proposed distributing economic stimulus checks to certain type of taxpayers, a move that has reignited the debate over direct cash transfers, same thing that happened to those (never concreted) $5,000 DOGE dividends.
The current initiative suggests using tariff revenues generated by trade policies as a source of funding for the stimulus checks. The proposal specifies an amount of “at least $2,000 per person” for individuals whose income falls below a specific threshold. This idea comes amid persistent concerns about the cost of living and the financial stability of many households.
Trump’s stimulus checks: Up to $4,000 for married couples
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that the income threshold under consideration is $100,000 for individuals. Under this scheme, married couples who meet the income requirement could receive up to $4,000.
It has not been definitively clarified whether dependents, such as children, would be included in these payments. In previous rounds of stimulus, parents received additional funds for each dependent, which sets a precedent for their potential inclusion in this new proposal.
What’s the state of the stimulus check proposal?
However, this initiative is still in the conceptual phase, and no formal bill has been introduced in Congress to support the idea. The prospect of turning the proposal into actual legislation faces a list of obstacles.
Recent history shows that initial stimulus ideas can evolve; for example, a previous proposal by Senator Josh Hawley in July envisioned $600 reimbursement checks, a substantially lower amount than the $2,000 now being proposed.
A quick revision of the numbers reveals a central challenge for the proposal: the disparity between tax revenue collected and the total cost of the payments. According to an analysis by the Tax Foundation, approximately 150 million adults would be eligible for the check, generating a total cost of around $300 billion. This estimate could increase if dependents are included in the program.
Americans are paying for tariffs: the proposal is to give them a portion back
To date, implemented tariffs have raised $120 billion. Projections for fiscal year 2026 anticipate that this figure could reach $216 billion. Even with this projected growth, tariff revenues would still fall short of the amount needed to fully fund $2,000 payments to the entire eligible population.
In addition to the fiscal challenge, there are legal questions about the President’s authority to impose certain tariffs without explicit congressional approval. The Supreme Court is reviewing this issue, and its decision could directly affect the proposed funding basis for the checks. This legal uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to the plan’s overall viability.
So far, the idea has not moved as forward as many expected, and it’s still to be seen if the Congress gets to a bipartisan agreement to settle the plan and start delivering $2,000 stimulus checks.