Trump's Plan to Send $2,000 Dividend Funded by Tariffs Raises Questions About Feasibility and Impact on Inflation.
In a recent post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced plans to give most Americans a one-time payment of at least $2000 each, funded by tariffs imposed on imported goods. The proposal has sparked debate among experts about its feasibility, potential impact on inflation, and how it would be implemented.
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the rebate would likely be given to families earning less than $100,000 a year, although the threshold is still under discussion. However, some economists argue that there may not be enough tariff revenue to cover such a large-scale payout.
Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation, estimates that paying $2,000 to 150 million adults would require roughly $300 billion in revenue, which could strain the national debt and offset only about 24 cents of income and payroll tax revenue per dollar of tariff revenue. She also warns that tariffs have raised a relatively small amount of net revenue compared to Trump's proposed rebate.
Additionally, sending new tariff checks to almost every household could risk boosting inflation by stimulating demand for goods and services without increasing their supply, which could exacerbate existing inflationary pressures.
While the White House disputes these claims, experts caution that there are still many unknowns about the plan, including how it would be disbursed and whether it would indeed increase the national debt. The proposal has sparked concerns among some lawmakers and economists about its potential impact on the economy and the national budget.
In a recent post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump announced plans to give most Americans a one-time payment of at least $2000 each, funded by tariffs imposed on imported goods. The proposal has sparked debate among experts about its feasibility, potential impact on inflation, and how it would be implemented.
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the rebate would likely be given to families earning less than $100,000 a year, although the threshold is still under discussion. However, some economists argue that there may not be enough tariff revenue to cover such a large-scale payout.
Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation, estimates that paying $2,000 to 150 million adults would require roughly $300 billion in revenue, which could strain the national debt and offset only about 24 cents of income and payroll tax revenue per dollar of tariff revenue. She also warns that tariffs have raised a relatively small amount of net revenue compared to Trump's proposed rebate.
Additionally, sending new tariff checks to almost every household could risk boosting inflation by stimulating demand for goods and services without increasing their supply, which could exacerbate existing inflationary pressures.
While the White House disputes these claims, experts caution that there are still many unknowns about the plan, including how it would be disbursed and whether it would indeed increase the national debt. The proposal has sparked concerns among some lawmakers and economists about its potential impact on the economy and the national budget.