Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is clarifying President Donald Trump’s promise to give Americans a check of at least $2,000 from U.S. tariff revenue — and it sounds like people shouldn’t get their hopes up.
After host Maria Bartiromo questioned him directly on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” over whether Trump will be “sending these direct payments of $2,000 or more” to Americans, Bessent said that the administration “will see” about the tariff dividends and noted that any checks would require legislation to materialize.
Bessent added that the “$2,000 refunds” Trump had announced “would be for working families” and that there would be an income limit for recipients.
“A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone,” he wrote.
Trump also railed against opponents of his sweeping tariffs, calling them “fools.”
“We are now the Richest, Most Respected Country In the World, With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price,” he claimed.
On ABC’s “This Week” on Nov. 9, Bessent appeared to reframe Trump’s promise after host George Stephanopoulos grilled him on whether the president has a definitive plan for the checks.
Arguing that Trump’s tariff checks could materialize in “lots of ways,” Bessent said, “You know, it could be just the tax decreases that we are seeing on the president’s agenda. You know, no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security.”
Watch Bessent’s appearance on “Sunday Morning Futures” below.
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