$2000 tariff payments for Americans, $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers, and 50 year mortgages to lower monthly payments. These three proposals and ideas were recently floated by President Donald Trump. Can they happen and do they add up? Let’s get the facts. First, the $2000 tariff dividend payment, that’s what President Trump called it in *** true social post. He didn’t say who may qualify for one or how they could be paid, but our partners at PolitiFact checked the math and projections. They report that if dividends went to the 150 million adults making less than $100,000 *** year, it would cost nearly $300 billion. That’s far more than the revenue collected so. this year from President Trump’s new tariffs and as much as $100 million more annually than experts are predicting when it comes to mortgages, President Trump says that by paying *** 50 year as opposed to *** typical 30 year mortgage, your monthly mortgage payments will be cheaper. Our get the facts data team looked into that. They found some people could save hundreds of dollars on their monthly payment if they paid over 50 years, but they would also be paying more. Interest potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars more over the life of the loan and finally $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers on social media. President Trump said he’d recommend that bonus as *** reward for those controllers who work through the government shutdown without taking time off. But doing that isn’t exactly straightforward. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged that he would have to work with Congress in order to make that happen. Helping you get the facts, I’m Amy Lou.
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During the shutdown, President Donald Trump proposed several financial policies, including $2,000 tariff “dividend” payments, $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers, and 50-year mortgages to reduce monthly payments, raising questions about their feasibility and financial impact.Tariff DividendsIn one Truth Social post, Trump promised Americans a $2,000 “dividend” payment from the tariff revenue he said his administration has collected.He did not, however, specify who might qualify or how they would be paid. There are also questions about how much tariff revenue is currently available to make those payments. According to our partners at PolitiFact, if these dividends were distributed to the 150 million adults earning less than $100,000 annually, it would cost nearly $300 billion. This amount exceeds the revenue collected from Trump’s new tariffs this year and is as much as $100 million more annually than experts predict.50-year mortgagesTrump suggested that opting for a 50-year mortgage instead of the typical 30-year term could result in cheaper monthly payments. Experts say the mortgage would ultimately result in lower monthly payments, but would do little to solve other issues, such as a lack of supply and high interest rates. The Get the Facts Data Team found that while some individuals could save hundreds of dollars monthly by extending their mortgage to 50 years, they would also incur significantly higher interest costs, potentially amounting to hundreds of thousands more over the loan’s duration.PolitiFact talked to Columbia University real estate and finance professor Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, who provided the following example: a $450,000 home with a fixed interest rate of 6.2% and a 20% down payment would accrue about $434,000 in interest with a 30-year mortgage. With a 50-year mortgage, that same home would accrue more than $800,000 in interest. On Thursday, Freddie Mac reported the average long-term mortgage rate is currently 6.24%.Air traffic control bonuses Finally, Trump proposed $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers who worked through the government shutdown without taking time off. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has previously acknowledged that giving such bonuses to air traffic controllers would require collaboration with Congress. It’s unclear how many of those controllers would receive the bonus or what exact criteria are being followed to distribute the funds. Meanwhile, on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem handed checks to TSA officers in Houston, Texas she said showed “exemplary service” during the shutdown. DHS says the TSA officers are being paid with Department carryover funds from Fiscal Year 2025. “We’re going to look at every individual that did exceptional service during this period of time when there were so many hardships,” Noem said.Airport employees will have to deal with lingering disruptions even as the shutdown comes to an end. The FAA is holding flight cuts at 6% at forty major airports as controller staffing improves.Hearst’s Get the Facts Data Team has tracked more than 1,000 flight cancellations in the U.S. as of Thursday, which is an improvement from earlier in the week, but still far from normal.
During the shutdown, President Donald Trump proposed several financial policies, including $2,000 tariff “dividend” payments, $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers, and 50-year mortgages to reduce monthly payments, raising questions about their feasibility and financial impact.
Tariff Dividends
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In one Truth Social post, Trump promised Americans a $2,000 “dividend” payment from the tariff revenue he said his administration has collected.
He did not, however, specify who might qualify or how they would be paid. There are also questions about how much tariff revenue is currently available to make those payments.
According to our partners at PolitiFact, if these dividends were distributed to the 150 million adults earning less than $100,000 annually, it would cost nearly $300 billion. This amount exceeds the revenue collected from Trump’s new tariffs this year and is as much as $100 million more annually than experts predict.
50-year mortgages
Trump suggested that opting for a 50-year mortgage instead of the typical 30-year term could result in cheaper monthly payments.
Experts say the mortgage would ultimately result in lower monthly payments, but would do little to solve other issues, such as a lack of supply and high interest rates. The Get the Facts Data Team found that while some individuals could save hundreds of dollars monthly by extending their mortgage to 50 years, they would also incur significantly higher interest costs, potentially amounting to hundreds of thousands more over the loan’s duration.
PolitiFact talked to Columbia University real estate and finance professor Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh, who provided the following example: a $450,000 home with a fixed interest rate of 6.2% and a 20% down payment would accrue about $434,000 in interest with a 30-year mortgage. With a 50-year mortgage, that same home would accrue more than $800,000 in interest.
On Thursday, Freddie Mac reported the average long-term mortgage rate is currently 6.24%.
Air traffic control bonuses
Finally, Trump proposed $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers who worked through the government shutdown without taking time off.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has previously acknowledged that giving such bonuses to air traffic controllers would require collaboration with Congress. It’s unclear how many of those controllers would receive the bonus or what exact criteria are being followed to distribute the funds.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem handed checks to TSA officers in Houston, Texas she said showed “exemplary service” during the shutdown. DHS says the TSA officers are being paid with Department carryover funds from Fiscal Year 2025. “We’re going to look at every individual that did exceptional service during this period of time when there were so many hardships,” Noem said.
Airport employees will have to deal with lingering disruptions even as the shutdown comes to an end. The FAA is holding flight cuts at 6% at forty major airports as controller staffing improves.
Hearst’s Get the Facts Data Team has tracked more than 1,000 flight cancellations in the U.S. as of Thursday, which is an improvement from earlier in the week, but still far from normal.