Donald Trump has once again dominated headlines — this time with a bold promise that stunned both supporters and critics alike: a $2,000 payment for “almost everyone in America.” In a series of early-morning Truth Social posts, the former president unveiled what he called a “tariff dividend” — a sweeping plan to use revenue from import taxes to send direct payments to Americans. “A dividend of at least $2,000 a person (not including high-income people!) will be paid to everyone,” Trump declared.
The idea sounds simple: tariffs on foreign goods create government income, and that money goes straight back to the people. But economists — and even some political allies — say the math simply doesn’t add up.
Trump framed the concept as a “win for America.” He argued that his proposed tariffs would bring in billions, strengthen U.S. manufacturing, and generate enough revenue to pay every eligible American a “dividend.” “People that are against tariffs are FOOLS!” Trump wrote, boasting that the U.S. is “taking in trillions of dollars” and will soon “begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 trillion.” It’s classic Trump — populist, bold, and made for viral headlines. But there’s a problem: government data tells a very different story.
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