President Donald Trump has announced that his administration plans to deliver $2,000 checks to every American, except “high-income people.”
Trump said he’s using the massive tariff revenues accumulated under his trade agenda.
Calling critics of his tariff strategy “fools,” Trump said the U.S. has become “the most respected country in the world.”
The president also touted “almost no inflation, and a record stock market price.”
In a series of Truth Social posts, the president said his tariffs have generated “trillions of dollars” and argued the windfall will not only fund the nationwide dividend but also help pay down the nation’s $37 trillion debt.
The announcement comes as the Supreme Court weighs the legality of Trump’s sweeping use of emergency authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country, including long-time allies.
Lower courts previously ruled against the administration, though the tariffs have remained in effect during the appeal process.
Between April and October alone, the U.S. government collected roughly $151 billion in tariff revenue, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has projected the U.S. will bring in at least $500 billion per year under Trump’s trade structure.
That revenue, while substantial, would still cover less than one-third of the current fiscal-year deficit.
Federal spending has reached $7 trillion in FY2025.
The figure is $1.78 trillion more than the government collected in the same period.
Legal Pressure Mounts
Before reaching the Supreme Court, a specialized federal trade court in New York ruled in May that Trump’s use of emergency powers was unlawful.
The decision was largely upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in August.
The appeals court, however, struck down the requirement that the tariffs be removed immediately.
Trump celebrated the partial win at the time, writing:
“ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT!
“Today a Highly Partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end.
“If these Tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the Country.
“It would make us financially weak, and we have to be strong.”
On Sunday, after announcing the $2,000 dividend plan, Trump continued blasting the Supreme Court’s skepticism.
“WITHOUT TARIFFS, WE HAVE NONE OF THE FOLLOWING (JUST POSTED) TRUTH!!! President DJT.”
Less than an hour later, he followed up:
“So, let’s get this straight???
“The President of the United States is allowed (and fully approved by Congress!) to stop ALL TRADE with a Foreign Country (Which is far more onerous than a Tariff!), and LICENSE a Foreign Country, but is not allowed to put a simple Tariff on a Foreign Country, even for purposes of NATIONAL SECURITY.
“That is NOT what our great Founders had in mind!
“The whole thing is ridiculous! Other Countries can Tariff us, but we can’t Tariff them???
“It is their DREAM!!! Businesses are pouring into the USA ONLY BECAUSE OF TARIFFS.
“HAS THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT NOT BEEN TOLD THIS???
“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON??? President DJT.”
Tariff Spikes, Diplomatic Clashes
Since early 2025, Trump has aggressively expanded tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico, and the EU.
The policy has drawn fierce criticism abroad but remains central to his economic strategy.
Last month, Trump hiked Canadian tariffs by an additional 10 percent after an Ontario-based group aired a World Series advertisement using a Ronald Reagan clip denouncing tariffs.
“Canada was caught, red-handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagan’s Speech on Tariffs,” Trump wrote in response.
“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now.”
Canada currently faces a 35% baseline tariff on goods not exempt under the USMCA, with steel and aluminum tariffed at 50%.
Just days after the Canada dispute, Trump struck a surprise deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, agreeing to cut China’s tariff bill by 10 percent after urging Beijing to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said:
“On fentanyl, we agreed that he was going to work very hard to stop the flow…
“I think you’re going to see some real action taken.”
He added that the cut is “effective immediately,” saying of Xi:
“I believe he’s going to work very hard to stop the death that’s coming in.”
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