Kevin Hassett, the White House’s chief economic adviser, said that issuing $2,000 checks to Americans from tariff revenues would depend on a decision by Congress.
Washington — Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on Sunday that President Trump’s idea of giving Americans $2,000 checks funded by tariff revenues will depend on “what happens in Congress.”
Speaking on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan, Hassett said: “I expect the president to put forward a proposal to Congress in the new year to make this happen.”
Since July, Mr. Trump has floated the idea of providing a potential tax rebate to some Americans based on tariff revenues. Last month, the president posted on social media that “a rebate of no less than $2,000 per person (excluding high-income earners!) will be paid to everyone.” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News last month that the checks would most likely be provided to households earning less than $100,000. He said at the time that the issue was still “under discussion.”
Hassett noted that Congress would need to approve the funds, which would likely be distributed through the tax code, requiring lawmakers to pass new legislation authorizing the Treasury Department to send out the checks. However, Hassett pointed to “a lot of positive news about the economy” since July, suggesting that issuing the checks has become more likely.
“We’ve seen nearly 4% growth over the past two quarters, we’ve had a significant budget surplus for several consecutive months, and the deficit is down by $600 billion compared to last year,” Hassett said. “So, in the summer, I wasn’t sure there was room to issue checks like this. But now I’m very confident that there is room.”
Hassett said the funds could come from tariff revenues, noting that “in the end, as you know, we collect taxes, tariffs, and revenues from many sources, and then Congress decides how to spend that money. That’s the appropriations process.”
These remarks come as the president has defended tariffs as one of the core policies of his administration, praising the approach for helping the United States generate new revenue and stimulate investment in American manufacturing. Hassett said most of the tariffs imposed this year have “proven effective,” citing strong growth, a lower trade deficit, and reduced imports from China.
“So, there are a lot of successes to celebrate when it comes to tariffs,” Hassett added. “But we also hear, when talking with our trading partners and companies that do a lot of business with the United States, that there are some things that may need adjustment.”
Hassett said there is interest in exempting certain goods from tariffs if they are not meant to be produced in the United States, for reasons such as climate conditions. He noted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is leading these efforts.
The White House’s chief economic adviser also expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will side with the administration as the justices consider whether the president has the authority to impose tariffs unilaterally under the federal emergency law. The administration has relied on this law to impose tariffs on nearly all U.S. trading partners.
“We fully expect the Supreme Court to rule in our favor,” Hassett said.
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