$2,000 Tariff checks next year?

Bessent Suggests Americans Save $2,000 Tariff Checks When Asked About Inflation

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested that Americans save the proposed $2,000 tariff checks rather than spend the money to avoid inflationary effects.

Bessent made the comments on Fox News when asked by host Bret Baier whether sending the checks to most Americans would increase inflation.

"Maybe we could persuade Americans to save that, because one of the things that's going to happen next year" is the start of "Trump Accounts" to save for kids, Bessent replied.

Bessent was referring to a House GOP proposal backed by President Donald Trump that would create tax-deferred investment accounts — coined "Trump Accounts" — for babies born in the U.S. over the next four years, starting them each with $1,000.

At age 18, they could withdraw the money to put toward a down payment for a home, education, or to start a small business. Individuals can contribute to the account until the year the beneficiary turns 18. The maximum annual contribution will generally be $5,000 and this amount will be indexed to inflation beginning in 2028.

Trump on Monday said he wants to issue tariff checks to "moderate income, middle income" Americans by mid-2026.

William Dickens, a professor emeritus of economics and public policy at Northeastern University, says $2,000 "would help support the economy" if the U.S. were to enter a recession and would have little to no impact on prices.

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