President Donald Trump said Monday that Americans could begin receiving $2,000 “tariff dividend” checks as early as mid-2026 — his clearest timeline yet for a proposal he has repeatedly promoted this year. Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump described the payments as direct relief for Americans struggling with rising costs. He said the checks would send “thousands of dollars” to working- and middle-class individuals and would be funded through tariff revenues generated by his trade policies.

But despite the confident projection, the plan faces a major hurdle: it cannot move forward without congressional approval. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stressed over the weekend that lawmakers must pass legislation before any checks can be issued, and it’s unclear whether Congress will support such a large new program.