President Donald Trump's proposal to send Americans $2,000 checks funded by tariff revenue is gaining momentum among Republican lawmakers, even as questions swirl about how the math actually works.

Republican Senators Warm to the Idea

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures that the Senate should "take a look" at legislation returning tariff revenue directly to households. Trump had endorsed the concept days earlier, pitching payments of at least $2,000 to most Americans.

"I sure hope that we take a look at these types of things and how we can make sure that the American people have more of their hard-earned money back in their pocket," Britt said.

She defended the broader tariff strategy as necessary for "leveling the playing field" for American manufacturers. "President Trump knows that you can put Americans against the world, and if we are on a level playing field, we will always win," she added.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has already introduced his own version offering $600 rebates per adult and dependent child.

The Revenue Picture Gets Complicated

Trump has argued his sweeping tariffs could generate enough money to both fund these payments and chip away at the $38.12 trillion national debt. The Treasury Department reported $195 billion in tariff collections through the first three quarters of the year.

But here's the catch: consumers are already paying for those tariffs. Companies have passed along the costs, leaving Americans facing an average effective tariff rate of 18 percent—the highest since 1934, according to the Yale Budget Lab.

So the idea is essentially: we'll charge you more for goods, collect that money, and then send some back to you. It's creative, if nothing else.

Income Limits on the Horizon

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered the clearest signal yet about who would actually receive these checks. Speaking Sunday, he said "working families" would be the target, with income limits built into the plan. No specific thresholds have been finalized yet.

The Skeptics Weigh In

Not everyone is convinced this makes economic sense. Tax policy expert Erica York called the plan "misguided." Investor Kevin O'Leary went further, labeling it "economic nonsense" and warning it was more political theater than sound policy.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) argued Trump's tariffs already act as "a nearly $2,000 tax" on families and should simply be repealed rather than repackaged as rebates.

Economist Peter Schiff raised what might be the most damaging critique: the dividend would cost more than the tariff revenue generates and could push the trade deficit higher. His reasoning? Consumers would use the extra cash to buy more imports, which now cost more because of the tariffs. It's a feedback loop that doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

That critique came after Trump claimed tariff collections were bringing in "Trillions of Dollars" to fund the payments—a figure that doesn't quite square with the $195 billion Treasury has actually collected.

The political appeal is obvious: who doesn't want a $2,000 check? But whether the economics work out is another question entirely. Republicans seem willing to explore it, even if the details remain fuzzy and the critics are sharpening their pencils.