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President Donald Trump said Thursday that his administration is considering sending rebate checks of around $1,000 to Americans using revenue collected from his tariff plan.
It marked the first time Trump specified a potential amount. He had previously voiced support for rebates funded by tariffs. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has introduced legislation that would provide at least $600 per adult and child, modeled on pandemic-era stimulus checks.
In an interview with One America News, Trump stated that tariff revenues are beginning to come in and that part of the funds will be allocated toward reducing the federal debt. However, he also suggested that some of the revenue could be distributed directly to American citizens.
“We also might make a distribution to the people, almost like a dividend to the people of America,” Trump said, according to Reuters. “We’ve [been] thinking maybe $1,000 to $2,000. It’d be great.”
Trump also addressed the government shutdown that began on Wednesday, stating that he could permanently eliminate some federal projects favored by Democrats if the closure continues.
“We could cut projects that they wanted, favorite projects, and they’d be permanently cut,” he said. “I am allowed to cut things that should have never been approved in the first place and I will probably do that.”
The Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on competing stopgap measures, including one that passed the House last month and would extend government funding through Nov. 21. Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday that he once again urged his Democratic colleagues to back the House-passed continuing resolution.
“Mr. President, so far, three of our Democrat colleagues have joined Republicans to attempt to reopen the government. If we can just find a few more Democrats to join us, we can end this shutdown and get back to bipartisan appropriations work and the business of the American people,” Thune said.
“Democrats voted for clean CRs like the one before us 13 times, 13 times during the Biden administration. I hope they’ll join us to pass this clean CR and reopen the government for hardworking Americans,” he continued.
