India, Nov. 20 -- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday night urged Americans who may receive a proposed $2,000 payment funded by tariff revenues not to spend it. His comment comes as the White House works to sell the idea of a tariff-funded "dividend" to skeptical lawmakers and markets.

Bessent framed the payments as one part of a broader affordability push that could include targeted tax relief and other measures.

In a Fox News interview, Bessent responded to concerns that a direct payment of this magnitude could spark inflation. He said, "Maybe we could persuade Americans to save that."

The Big Beautiful bill introduced by the Trump administration had a section that discusses the opening of a new class of investment accounts f...