Trump’s plan for a $2,000 tariff may face a major test in Congress

The tariff rebate checks proposed by President Donald Trump may have a bumpy road to becoming a reality.

Over the weekend, Treasury Secretary Scott Besent said a “profit” check on Trump’s proposed $2,000 tariffs would require congressional approval. However, a key member of the House of Representatives said there would be a “robust debate” about what to do with tariff revenues.

Lawmakers want to know how much the tariffs will increase

In a social media post last week, Trump floated the idea of ​​offering Americans a $2,000 “dividend” check to be paid with proceeds from the sweeping tariffs he imposed this year.

However, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said in a televised interview Sunday that lawmakers want to get a better understanding of how much money the tariffs generate. Before the government shutdown, the Treasury Department announced $95 billion in new tariff revenue through August.

As Trump negotiates new agreements that lower tariff rates, Scalise also said revenue from tariffs may not be sustainable in the long term.

While the new tariffs have generated a significant amount of revenue, it is unclear whether they will be enough to fully cover Trump’s $2,000 check proposal, which Picent said may be limited to families making $100,000 or less.

Tariff revenue in 2026 is expected to total about $217 billion, said Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the Tax Foundation. Trump’s proposal to reduce tariffs could cost about $300 billion.

Debt levels may stifle debate over tariff rebate checks

Other members of Congress said proceeds from tariffs would be better spent paying down the country’s debt.

“We owe $36 or $37 trillion,” said Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke. “For me, I think our bus is full. If you want to add something, take something off the bus.” POLITICO.

Alabama Republican Sen. Katie Britt said Sunday that validating the tariff deduction would be one way to pass on the benefits of Trump’s tariff policies to taxpayers.

“I certainly hope that this is something that Congress takes a look at, and I certainly think it will be something that the American people receive well,” Britt said when asked about the rebate plan in a televised interview over the weekend.

She’s not the only senator behind the idea of ​​issuing a tariff revenue rebate. Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley introduced legislation in July that would provide a $600 tax credit to every adult taxpayer and their families. The Senate has yet to take any action on the Hawley American Workers Rebate Act of 2025.

Paying down the country’s debt could also benefit taxpayers, Scalise said.

“Reducing the deficit lowers interest rates and lowers inflation,” Scalise said. “Stop borrowing hundreds of billions of dollars, in this case, would actually be good for the entire economy and put more money in the pockets of people who are struggling, in terms of lower inflation and lower interest rates.”