Money Talks: Trump's Bold Ideas for Health Care and Tariffs

In a series of posts on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump suggested some big ideas. He proposed sending cash directly to Americans to cover health care costs. He also talked about giving out $2, 000 dividends from tariff money. But officials later said these were just ideas, not official plans. Trump's first post was about health care. He suggested taking the money that goes to insurance companies under ObamaCare. Instead, he wanted to send that money directly to people. This way, they could buy their own health care. The next day, he posted again. This time, he talked about putting money into health savings accounts. These accounts let people save money for medical expenses. Trump also talked about tariffs. He said the U. S. is making a lot of money from them. He claimed this money could help pay down the national debt. He also said it could fund new investments. He even suggested giving a $2, 000 dividend to each person. But he said high-income people would not get this money. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke about these ideas on ABC's "This Week. " He said the health care proposal was not fully worked out. He also said it was not being sent to the Senate yet. He added that the government shutdown needed to end first. He said the administration would not negotiate with Democrats until then. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, spoke on CBS News' "Face the Nation. " He said Trump was just brainstorming. He wanted to help the Senate come up with a deal. He also said the idea of mailing checks to people had not been widely discussed. He noted that the Senate was still in session over the weekend.Bessent also talked about the $2, 000 tariff dividend idea. He said it could take many forms. He mentioned tax decreases on tips, overtime, and Social Security. He also talked about deductibility of auto loans. He said these were substantial deductions in the tax bill. The idea of sending tariff rebate checks came up earlier this year. In July, Trump said he would favor sending these checks. Senator Josh Hawley introduced a bill for $600 checks. But the Senate has not yet voted on this bill. Trump's posts came during a government shutdown. Democrats and Republicans were in a stalemate. An NBC News poll found that Americans blamed Republicans more for the shutdown. Democrats won recent elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Exit polls showed voters disapproved of Trump's job performance. Since then, Trump has insisted the economy is strong. He posted on Truth Social about tariffs. He said the U. S. is the richest and most respected country. He also said there is almost no inflation. He noted that the stock market is at a record high. He added that 401k's are at their highest ever. But his posts seemed to show that Republicans may need to do more. The shutdown has stretched into its 41st day. The Senate is still trying to find a deal. The ideas Trump proposed may not be official yet. But they show a willingness to think outside the box.