Trump says tariff revenue could fund direct payouts to US citizens

As Trump signals cash benefits from trade tariffs, he fires the labour statistics commissioner after weak jobs data and faces a surprise Fed governor resignation

US President Donald Trump has floated the idea of giving a “dividend” or direct cash distribution to American citizens from the revenues collected via tariffs imposed on other countries.

 

“There could be a distribution or a dividend to the people of our country. I would say for people that would be middle-income people and lower-income people, we could do a dividend,” Reuters quoted Trump as saying.

 

This comes amid broader debates over Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy, which has seen heightened duties on goods from countries including India and China.

 

Elon Musk and DOGE-era savings idea revived

 

This is not the first time Trump has hinted at such payouts. During Elon Musk’s tenure as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump had said that US citizens could benefit directly from federal savings.

 

 

“There’s even under consideration a new concept where we give 20 per cent of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20 per cent goes to paying down debt, because the numbers are incredible,” Trump had said during a prior press conference.

 

Trump sacks BLS chief over ‘rigged’ jobs data

 

In another headline development, Trump dismissed Erika McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labour Statistics (BLS), hours after the release of weaker-than-expected employment numbers.

 

Taking to social media, Trump accused McEntarfer of having “RIGGED” the jobs data “to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad”.

 

The move has drawn sharp criticism from economists and political observers, many of whom accused the White House of politicising official data. There is currently no evidence to support Trump’s claim that the BLS manipulated figures.

 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics plays a key role in compiling data on employment, inflation, wages, and productivity in the US economy.

 

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Governor Adriana Kugler submitted her resignation last week. No reason was provided at the time of announcement.