President Donald Trump suggested that he could send out rebate checks to U.S. citizens, directly distributing revenue raised from tariffs.
When asked if he would consider tariff rebate checks, Trump said he was “thinking about that, actually.”
“We have so much money coming in, we’re thinking about a little rebate, but the big thing we want to do is pay down debt. But we’re thinking about a rebate,” the president said, praising the reporter for the “very good question.”
“A little rebate for people of a certain income level might be very nice,” he added.
Trump’s tariff policies have proven to be one of the most controversial initiatives of his second administration. His “Liberation Day” tariff announcement in April rocked the global economy, setting off panic across the world. While the situation has since stabilized and recovered, tariffs as a whole still often have a negative perception from much of the public.
A visible check for the public, likely to be signed by Trump himself, could help improve public perception of his trade policies.
According to Department of the Treasury data, the U.S. collected over $100 billion in tariff revenue in the first half of 2025. In July alone, the agency calculates it will collect over $27 billion.
TRUMP ANNOUNCES TRADE DEAL WITH JAPAN WORTH $550B, IMPLEMENTING 15% RECIPROCAL TARIFFS
Trump broke with economic orthodoxy in the U.S. in his championing of tariffs, over the opposition of many economists. Many economists warned that tariffs would be passed on to customers, raising the prices of consumer goods. These fears have so far not come into fruition, though the most severe of Trump’s tariffs never went into effect due to trade negotiations.
Trump’s most recent trade deal was concluded with Japan, a deal he boasted was “perhaps the largest Deal ever made.” The deal involves $550 billion in Japanese investment into the U.S., while Tokyo will pay a 15% tariff rate.
