Hoping for a $2,000 tariff dividend check? Trump is giving mixed messages.

Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS

• President Donald Trump appears to have walked back his promise of $2,000 tariff rebate checks.
• Trump previously proposed payouts funded by tariff revenue amid affordability concerns.
• Tariff revenue may be insufficient as Trump prioritizes debt reduction and defense spending.

If you have been hoping for a $2,000 tariff rebate check, it may not come.

President Donald Trump gave mixed messages about the issues in a recent interview with The New York Times.