President Trump's promise to send $2,000 tariff dividend checks to most Americans will require legislation to accomplish, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.
Why it matters: Trump's oft-repeated plan to pay a tariff dividend has become more prominent as the administration battles an affordability crisis.
What they're saying: "We will see. We need legislation for that," Bessent said in an interview with Fox News's "Sunday Morning Futures."
How it works: It's not 100% clear who would get a check. Trump, in Truth Social posts, suggested they'd be for low- and middle-income Americans only.
- Bessent said Sunday the checks would be for working families and have an income limit.
Friction point: Any payout would, like past stimulus checks, run the risk of goosing inflation— just as the administration says it's on the verge of bringing prices down and raising Americans' purchasing power.
- There's also the question of the pending Supreme Court case that could invalidate most of Trump's tariffs, depriving the government of tens of billions of dollars in revenue to fund the checks.
What to watch: If legislation is required, Congress will need to weigh in on whether there's any appetite for even considering such a bill.
- "I certainly hope Congress takes a look at that," Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told Fox News on Sunday.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments.
