Stimulus Checks: Donald Trump Teases Something ‘Dramatic’ to Come in Next Few Weeks

While there still has not been any official word regarding another stimulus package, President Donald Trump did address the possibility during a recent interview, as CNET noted. Apparently, something “dramatic” on this front could come out of Washington, according to the president. And that wasn’t all he had to say about the topic.

During an interview with Nexstar Broadcasting, Trump revealed that there might be something “dramatic” in the works for Phase 4 of stimulus payments this summer. He told the outlet on Wednesday, “I think we’re working on something that’s going to be very dramatic, very good. I think we are looking at a Phase 4. Phase 1, 2 and 3 have been fantastic for people, generally…small business owners, also. But we’re looking at doing something else in addition.” Trump’s statement referenced three earlier economic stimulus packages from the government that were made to help give a boost to the economy. However, only one of those phases included stimulus checks for individuals and families.

Even though the president did not explicitly state that another stimulus check was on the way, Trump is interested in an additional stimulus package. According to Forbes, the president is reportedly looking at the next stimulus bill to be at least $2 trillion. Peter Navarro, a White House trade advisor, shared that the focus of a possible next bill could be on manufacturing jobs. In May, Trump also expressed interest in a domestic travel credit called Explore America. During a roundtable discussion in May in the White House, the president said, “Create an ‘Explore America’ — that’s ‘Explore,’ right? ‘Explore America’ tax credit that Americans can use for domestic travel, including visits to restaurants. That’s a big deal.”

At the time, he did not give a dollar amount to this tax credit. Although, numerous sources have purported that it could be $4,000. This potential tax credit could be used to help out the hospitality industry, which has been dramatically affected by the coronavirus pandemic. As of right now, it’s unclear whether this tax credit would be included in a potential stimulus package. However, Travel Association CEO Roger Dow already expressed his support for this possible move, saying, “An ‘Explore America’ tax credit and campaign will do wonders to put America back on the path to prosperity. We applaud the president’s support, and with our industry’s health and safety guidance for the reopening of travel businesses in place, we are very prepared to work with the administration to push the effort forward at the right time.”