Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that President Donald Trump’s proposed $2,000 tariff checks might need approval from Congress. Business Insider reported that Bessent said in a Sunday interview on Fox News, “We will see. We need legislation for that,” when asked if Trump was going to send the tariff revenue-sharing checks soon.

Read also: President Trump Defends Tariffs, Promises $2,000 Dividend

Bessent said the checks would go to “working families” and that an income limit would be set. He did not describe them as a sure thing but stated, “Those could go out.” He added, “President Trump is all about solutions. Everything is on the table.”

President Trump initially proposed the payments in August to redistribute tariff dividends, stating at the time, “We’re taking in so much money that we may very well make a dividend to the people of America.” Earlier this month, Trump proposed on Truth Social that “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”

The Trump Administration initially enacted sweeping protective tariffs in February in the name of rebalancing trade, an idea that Bessent reiterated on ABC’s “This Week” earlier this month. At that time, he also said that no specific plan had been made to spend tariff revenue and that the $2,000 payment could come in the form of not taxing tips and Social Security payments.

Some economists and others have warned that sending checks to people could heat up inflation at a time when people are still worried about rising prices. Others have said the payouts could worsen the national debt.

Source: IndexBox Market Intelligence Platform