President Donald Trump wants you – to get a $2,000 tariff dividend check.

The president floated that idea back on Nov. 9 on Truth Social, saying that revenue from tariffs would make the checks possible. "People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!" he posted. "A dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone."

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the president's interest in the proposal when asked about it Wednesday, Nov. 12.

"The White House is committed to making that happen, yes, and we are currently exploring all legal options to get that done," Leavitt said. "I don't have a timeline for you or any further details, but I can confirm for you that the president made it clear he wants to make it happen, and so his team of Economic Advisors are looking into it, and when we have an update, we'll provide one."

Trump also floated a similar idea through DOGE

This isn't the first time Trump has suggested giving money to Americans. Back in February, Trump said he was considering sending taxpayers stimulus checks from expected savings from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cost-cutting efforts.

That idea came from Azoria investment firm CEO James Fishback, who had lobbied on X for Musk to issue a stimulus check based on the claimed savings. The checks, which would have required approval of Congress, were never issued.

Why you shouldn't spend that $2,000 tariff dividend check just yet

The $2,000 checks would supposedly come from tariff revenue. However, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan nonprofit that studies fiscal policy, said in a Nov. 10 a report that an initial round of tariff dividend checks could cost about $600 billion, while the tariffs have brought in about $100 billion so far.

With the national debt of more than $38 trillion, "it is imperative that policymakers focus on actually reducing deficits and putting debt on a downward path," the group said. "Additional tariff revenue should be used to reduce deficits – as several administration figures have stated is the intention – instead of passing that revenue onto taxpayers in the form of cash dividends."

Government stimulus checks in the recent past

There were some stimulus checks issued earlier this year by the IRS. These were sent to taxpayers who who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. Those who did not were eligible for stimulus checks of up to $1,400.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were several stimulus checks sent. In 2020, during Trump's first term in office, taxpayers got $1,200 checks in March 2020 and $600 checks in December 2020. After President Joe Biden took office, many Americans got a $1,400 COVID-19 relief check in March 2021.

Trump's name appeared on the checks issued in 2020 – considered a move by Trump to get credit for a legislative package approved by Congress. The 2021 checks, issued as part of the American Rescue Plan, did not have Biden's name on them because Biden didn't want to delay payment.

A month before he left office, Biden jokingly said the lack of his signature might have been a mistake that led to Americans not recognizing his administration's economic success.

Trump's move taught him a lesson, Biden said during a speech at the Brookings Institution, a center-left think tank. "He signed checks for people," Biden said. "And I didn't ‒ stupid," he said to laughter, adding: "But all kidding aside."

Contributing: Kinsey Crowley, Greta Cross, Joey Garrison and James Powel

Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: $2,000 tariff dividend checks? White House says Trump wants to make it happen

Reporting by Mike Snider, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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