Trump's $2,000 Tariff-Funded Stimulus Check Proposal: A Shift from Deficit Spending to Trade Policy

President Trump has proposed direct payments of $2,000 to Americans, funded by tariff revenue instead of deficit spending. The payments would be similar to those made during COVID, but with a focus on middle- and lower-class households. The proposal would come at a time when the economy is stronger and unemployment is low, but the funding mechanism through import duties could be seen as a reframing of the conversation around tariffs from an economic drag to a benefit.