Donald Trump oversaw the release of two rounds of stimulus check packages while in office, providing Americans with thousands of dollars in relief during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Americans received $1,200 in March 2020 and $600 in December 2020. The former president urged lawmakers to increase the amount in December 2020 to $2,000 but eventually signed legislation approving the lower figure.
Recently, a group of viral TikToks suggested Trump will bring back the COVID-era policy, promising to send out more checks should he be elected in 2024.
The Claim
A TikTok by user theylove.shanya, posted on March 7, 2024, viewed 2.4 million times, included the caption "me after trump said stimulus checks for evb 18+ if he wins election."
Another TikTok by user nolimitdemiz, posted on March 8, 2024, viewed 203,000 times, included the same caption.
Both TikToks include the same audio, taken from another video, encouraging voters to support Trump.
The Facts
Despite Trump's previous enthusiasm toward stimulus relief, there is no evidence that he will send new checks if elected in 2024.
Newsweek has contacted media representatives for Trump for comment.
There have been no announcements during the Republican primary campaign or before then that suggest Trump would introduce a new round of stimulus spending.
Trump has revealed some economic plans should he be elected this year, including introducing universal baseline tariffs on most foreign products. His campaign has also said he will revoke China's Most Favored Nation trade status and adopt a 4-year plan to phase out all imports of essential goods from China.
"President Trump will establish new rules to stop U.S. companies from investing in China and stop China from buying up America, allowing only those investments that serve American interests," a campaign release from February 2023 said.
Ed Oswald, a prominent taxation expert and lawyer, told Newsweek this week that Trump would also likely extend tax cuts for the wealthy, similar to his 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act.
The former president has also spoken extensively about increasing domestic oil drilling, calling untapped oil reserves "liquid gold."
However, his campaign material does not indicate any pledges about stimulus checks.
It's not the first time that phony claims about stimulus checks have made the rounds on social media.
Ahead of the release of other unrelated financial relief plans in December 2023, false rumors spread that a $2,000 check would be sent out to states across the U.S.
The Ruling
False.
While Trump had pushed for increased stimulus relief while he was president, his 2024 campaign promises have not mentioned new rounds of checks if he is elected.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
