As President Donald Trump’s tariffs pour billions into federal coffers, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has introduced a bill to send rebate checks to American families — allowing them to directly benefit from the tariff-driven revenue.
The proposal would provide up to $600 per adult and child, meaning a family of four could receive as much as $2,400 in rebate payments.
Trump Tariffs Generating Massive Revenue
According to the Treasury Department, Trump’s tariffs have already brought in $28 billion in July alone, pushing the 2025 year-to-date total to $150 billion. The administration is on pace to hit or exceed its ambitious goal of $300 billion in tariff revenue — largely through across-the-board duties on foreign goods.
Hawley: “Americans Deserve a Rebate”
“Americans deserve a tax rebate after four years of Biden policies that have devastated families’ savings and livelihoods,” Hawley said in a statement.
“Like President Trump proposed, my legislation would allow hard-working Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump’s tariffs are returning to this country.”
Trump: “We’re Thinking About a Little Rebate”
Last week, President Trump floated the idea of a national rebate to distribute a portion of the tariff revenue to citizens.
“We’re thinking about a little rebate,” Trump told reporters. “But the big thing we want to do is pay down debt. But we’re thinking about a rebate.”
Rebate Modeled After 2020 COVID Stimulus Checks
Hawley’s bill uses the same income-based phase-outs as the 2020 COVID stimulus, meaning:
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Individuals earning over $75,000
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Heads of household earning over $112,500
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Joint filers making over $150,000
…would see their rebate reduced.
If tariffs outperform projections, rebate checks could increase beyond $600 per person.
Critics Claim Tariffs Act as Hidden Tax
Democrats and left-wing economists continue to argue that tariffs are a hidden tax on consumers, with the added costs being passed on at the cash register. Hawley’s proposal would effectively neutralize that argument by giving the money back to taxpayers directly.
What’s Next?
With tariff revenues soaring and Trump doubling down on America First trade policy, returning a portion to Americans may become a winning populist policy — and a political test for Senate Democrats who may oppose it simply because it originated from Trump and Hawley.
The rebate debate is now shaping up to be another front in the battle over Trump’s economic legacy, and it’s one that puts cash directly into the hands of working families.
