Here’s who won’t be eligible for the $2,000 that President Donald Trump has promised to give to nearly every American.

On November 9, the 79-year-old president took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to make an announcement that every American will receive a “dividend of at least $2000” thanks to the nation’s newfound wealth from his tariff policies.

The POTUS framed this payout as a result of the tariffs he has implemented, which he argues have made the U.S. the “richest, most respected country in the world”.

“People that are against Tariffs are FOOLS!” he wrote.

“With Almost No Inflation, and A Record Stock Market Price. 401k’s are Highest EVER. We are taking in Trillions of Dollars and will soon begin paying down our ENORMOUS DEBT, $37 Trillion.

“Record Investment in the USA, plants and factories going up all over the place.”

 Who Will Not Be Eligible?

Though the president has promised a $2,000 payout to every American, he specified that it would exclude “high-income people”.

Yet, Trump did not clarify what income level would qualify as “high income,” leaving the exact criteria for eligibility uncertain, per The Independent.

Tariffs as the Funding Source for the $2,000 Payout

This promise is closely tied to controversial tariff agenda of Trump.

He has long argued that tariffs on global imports would not just boost US manufacturing and investments but would generate revenue for such initiatives.

The US president’s position on tariffs has been criticized and is now under legal scrutiny.

The Supreme Court has heard arguments challenging his use of emergency powers to implement sweeping tariffs, and some lower courts have ruled that his approach is illegal.

If these challenges succeed, the tariff revenue that Trump is relying on to fund the $2,000 payouts may not materialize.

The Cost and Legal Hurdles

Though Trump’s proposal sounds exciting, it faces significant challenges as analysts have raised concerns about the feasibility of such payouts, especially considering the high cost, as per The Guardian.

Estimates suggest the total payout could range from $300 billion to over $500 billion, depending on eligibility and whether children are included in the payment distribution.

Economist Erica York calculated that if the cutoff for “high-income” is $100,000, approximately 150 million adults would qualify, leading to a cost of around $300 billion.

Still, with tariffs raising only $90 billion in net revenue, there is a considerable gap between the available funds and the promised payout.

Apart from the financial hurdles, the legal challenges surrounding the tariffs could derail Trump’s plan. If the tariffs are overturned in court, the revenue needed to fund the payout could vanish entirely.

The Missing Details

In spite of the grand promise, many important details remain unclear as Trump has not specified when the $2,000 payments would be made, nor has he outlined the full criteria for eligibility.

For example, the definition of “high income” remains vague, leaving many Americans uncertain about whether they will qualify.

If there are no concrete answers on funding, eligibility, and the timeline for payouts, it’s unclear when, or if, Americans will see any cash in their bank accounts.

Trump’s bold promise hinges on the continued success of his tariff policies – policies that are currently facing intense legal scrutiny and may not be sustainable in the long run.