In a move already sparking backlash among the MAGA base, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin is distancing himself from President Donald Trump’s plan to deliver $2,000 tariff rebate checks to hardworking Americans — money Trump argues is rightfully owed back to the people after decades of global trade abuse.
Johnson, speaking on Fox Business, tried to frame his opposition as “fiscal responsibility,” claiming America’s financial situation is too dire to return tariff revenue to the public. While he admitted he likes the concept of redirecting tariff dollars to American households, he insisted that the country’s runaway deficit has reached disaster status.
“We’re sitting on $38 trillion in debt,” Johnson warned. “Over the past five years we’ve been bleeding nearly $2 trillion annually. And projected deficits over the next decade? Another $26 trillion.”
Johnson painted a picture of an economy running headfirst toward a cliff, warning that the window to fix the crisis is closing rapidly.
“We’re out of time. The situation is collapsing,” he said. “If tariffs are bringing in revenue, that money needs to go straight toward shrinking the deficit.”
President Trump, however, has repeatedly emphasized that the tariffs — a cornerstone of his economic revival blueprint — have produced record-smashing revenue, and he wants struggling families to see a direct benefit. The Trump administration has floated distributing $2,000 checks to Americans earning below roughly $100,000, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent identifying that as the likely eligibility cutoff.
Of course, the plan needs congressional approval — and Johnson, along with several other establishment-minded Republicans, is already signaling resistance.
Johnson doubled down on the claim that Washington simply “cannot afford” to put money back in the hands of American taxpayers.
“We’re going to hit a $2 trillion deficit again this year,” he said, arguing that any kind of rebate — even one funded entirely by tariffs — is fiscally impossible.
To hammer home the point, Johnson contrasted modern deficits with those under previous administrations:
- Pre-COVID Trump: ~$800B
- Obama’s final years: ~$550B annually
- Biden era: ~$2T and climbing
“Totally unacceptable,” he said. “It’s time Washington stops ignoring the fire burning under its feet.”
Democrats, meanwhile, are celebrating electoral gains in New Jersey and Virginia after campaigning on “affordability,” even as inflation continues crushing households nationwide.
Johnson’s pushback also arrives as Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act faces fresh scrutiny at the Supreme Court — a case that could determine whether future presidents can wield aggressive tariffs to protect American workers from predatory foreign trade practices.
Tariffs remain central to Trump’s economic machine. Since their initial rollout through September, tariff revenue hit about $90 billion, and surged to nearly $196 billion from late September 2024 through August of this year — a staggering testament to Trump’s tough-on-China model.
But analysts warn that the $2,000 tariff dividend would not come cheap. Erica York of the Tax Foundation estimates that limiting checks to households making under $100,000 would still total around $300 billion.
Vice President J.D. Vance struck a more reassuring tone, acknowledging economic pain while urging patience as Trump’s economic reset is underway.
“We hear you loud and clear,” Vance told voters at a Breitbart event. “The improvements are happening, but it’s going to take time for every family to fully feel it.”
Vance zeroed in on grocery prices — especially eggs — as the most painful reminder of Biden-era inflation.
“When eggs go from $2 to $8 under Biden and then fall to $6.50, you’re still being robbed,” Vance said. “American families are drowning in costs, and we’re fighting every day to turn that around.”
The contrast is now crystal clear:
Trump wants to return billions to working Americans using tariff revenue — while D.C. insiders prefer to hoard it to mask their own spending addiction.