During a cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will issue $2,000 dividend refund checks to Americans in 2026, funded by tariff revenue. He claimed that tariffs have generated 'trillions of dollars' and that part of this money would be returned to citizens, with future tariff income potentially eliminating or drastically reducing income taxes. However, current data shows that in FY25, tariff revenue is around $195.9 billion, far below the trillions Trump referenced, and the total interest on the national debt exceeds $1.2 trillion annually. Economists and the Congressional Budget Office have revised long-term projections, indicating tariffs will reduce deficits by only about $3 trillion, less than earlier estimates. Despite Trump's confident claims, the feasibility of paying such dividends from tariff income is questionable, especially given legal challenges like the Supreme Court case Trump v. V.O.S. Selections, Inc., which could limit tariff revenue. The White House remains confident that rebate checks will be distributed in mid-to-late 2026, but congressional approval and legal hurdles pose significant obstacles. Critics argue that the math does not support the promised payouts, and the actual tariff revenue may be insufficient to fund the proposed $2,000 dividends and debt reduction plans.