Former President Donald Trump sparked nationwide attention this week after posting on Truth Social that Americans would soon receive a $2,000 “dividend.” The message spread quickly, raising one major question: who would actually qualify, and how would the payment work? Trump credited the proposal to what he described as strong revenue from tariffs and overall economic improvements.
“This is all because of tariffs,” Trump wrote. “We are taking in trillions.”
His post suggested the payments would go to “almost everyone,” but the picture shifted once senior officials began explaining the policy.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered the first clear indication that the payments would not be universal. During an interview on Fox & Friends, he said one of the leading proposals would provide the $2,000 benefit to families earning under roughly $100,000 per year. He emphasized that the figure was still under discussion, and that the administration was considering several possible options.
“Well, there are a lot of models here,” Bessent said. “The president’s talking about a $2,000 rebate for families making less than, say, $100,000.”
If finalized at that level, nearly 150 million Americans could qualify — far more than previous federal relief efforts. Policy researchers quickly estimated that such a payout would cost around $300 billion, prompting questions about how the government would cover the expense.