Critics on X swatted Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) for introducing legislation to provide $600 tariff rebates to almost all Americans and their dependent children.

“Americans deserve a tax rebate after four years of Biden policies that have devastated families’ savings and livelihoods,” Hawley said of his proposal giving families of four $2,400.

Modeled on the direct payments Congress authorized in the 2020 CARES Act, Hawley claimed his legislation “would allow hard-working Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump’s tariffs are returning to this country.”

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That’s not the way critics saw it, however.

“So a government drowning in trillion-dollar deficits borrows $150 billion more at 4.5% interest rates that taxpayers will be paying forever, in order to compensate us for higher prices that they deny are actually resulting from the tariffs,” posted Manhattan Institute Senior Fellow Jessica Riedl. “Makes sense.”

“Here’s a crazy idea,” Riedl then added. “Instead of using some debt-ridden gimmick to address the pain of the tariffs, why not just repeal the tariffs?”

“I thought consumers weren’t paying the tariffs,” said another commenter, repeating President Donald Trump’s claims that other nations would be funding the tariff increases.

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The phrase “pay down the debt” began trending on X after Hawley proposed his legislation, with critics lining up to bash the proposal to hand out government money until the debt was managed. Many of the critics consisted of Trump supporters.

“Pay down the debt! Only when the national debt is zero should any American expect another check from the government,” said one commenter, while another Trump supporter posted: “DC is really out of touch with reality. $600 doesn’t change anyone’s life.”

More liberal critics mocked MAGA’s sudden concern over the rising debt problem, now that Trump has passed a budget bill promising to add more than $3 trillion to the debt.

“There is something absolutely hilarious about seeing a bunch of Maga shrieking ‘PAY DOWN THE DEBT,’” said one observer. “… Your bankrupted felon blew up the debt last time, & you somehow thought he wouldn’t do it again? How’d you like that big parade? All he does is spend money.”

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