Politics

Trump Proposes Payments to Americans; Treasury Secretary Says No Formal White House Plan Exists

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Nov 10, 2025

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President Donald Trump has proposed a $2,000 dividend for most Americans, to be funded by revenue from tariffs. In a social media post on Sunday, the president said high-income individuals would be excluded, but did not specify how the funds would be disbursed. The proposal was made during an ongoing government shutdown.

In a television interview on Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there was no formal White House proposal to defund the Affordable Care Act and redirect the money to the public. According to one summary, this was in response to a separate presidential social media post from the previous day. Bessent stated the administration was not proposing such a plan "right now." He separately commented that a dividend from tariffs could be delivered in various forms, including tax decreases.

The proposal’s feasibility has been analyzed by outside groups. An expert from the Tax Foundation, Erica York, estimated that the payments would cost approximately $300 billion. York stated that new tariffs have so far raised a net of $90 billion and that the rebate would add to the national debt. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, the government collected $195 billion in customs duties during the fiscal year that ended September 30.

The plan faces potential hurdles, as a key part of the administration's tariff policy is under review by the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling that the tariffs are unlawful could result in refunds to businesses, which would reduce the revenue available for any dividend. Distribution of such payments typically requires new legislation to be passed by Congress.

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• The proposed funding may be insufficient to cover the plan's cost. An expert from the Tax Foundation, Erica York, estimated the payments would cost approximately $300 billion, and stated the rebate would add to the national debt. York noted that new tariffs have raised a net of $90 billion, while the Treasury Department reported total customs duties collections of $195 billion in the last fiscal year, both figures falling short of the estimated cost.

• The proposal faces significant legislative and legal hurdles. Distribution of such payments to the public typically requires new legislation to be passed by Congress. Additionally, a key component of the administration's tariff policy is currently under review by the U.S. Supreme Court, creating uncertainty around the legality of the funding source.

• The tariff revenue stream is not guaranteed. A Supreme Court ruling that the administration's tariffs are unlawful could compel the government to issue refunds to businesses that paid them. Such an outcome would reduce the amount of revenue available to fund any potential dividend program.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• You could receive a one-time $2,000 payment, as the proposal excludes high-income individuals. This might also be delivered as a tax decrease.

• The plan’s estimated cost exceeds reported tariff revenue, which an analyst stated would add to the national debt.

• The dividend is uncertain, as it requires new legislation from Congress and its tariff funding faces a Supreme Court challenge.

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