Donald Trump is facing criticism after appearing to forget a promise he previously made to send Americans $2,000 rebate checks funded by tariff revenue.The 79-year-old president has promoted the idea for months, claiming that income from sweeping trade tariffs would allow the government to issue $2,000 payments to many Americans, potentially as early as 2026. Trump has repeatedly argued that tariffs are generating massive revenue, enough to fund direct payouts without additional approval.
During a recent interview in the Oval Office with The New York Times, Trump was asked directly about the promised checks. When questioned on when Americans could expect them, he appeared confused, responding, “I did do that? When did I do that?” He then referenced a separate military-related payment before stating that the $2,000 checks could still happen “toward the end of the year,” citing substantial tariff revenue. Trump also claimed congressional approval would not be necessary.
