Vance links the tariffs to Trump's promise to pay every American $5,000

(CNN) - US Vice President, J.D. Vance, hinted that tariffs may be a source of funding for the promises made by US President Donald Trump to pay dividends of $5,000 to every adult in the United States, if Republicans maintain control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

“First, what the president is talking about is basically dividends to American workers,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News during the Republican National Convention for the midterm elections. “We generate an extraordinary amount of revenue because the president of the United States actually stands up to foreign companies, as well as foreign countries that have exploited American workers for almost my entire lifetime.”

"Those punitive measures (fees) have brought in a lot of revenue, and they've helped us pay down the debt. What the president is simply saying is: If you keep this up - the American people, if you keep us in power and allow us to continue to do these things - you will share in some of the benefits of this tremendous wealth that we are creating in the United States of America," Vance added, adding that he does not "think that's a controversial idea."

"It's really about the president of the United States saying we're all working together; we're on one team, and if we continue to create wealth, that wealth will benefit the American people," Vance said.

Trump did not provide details on how to finance such a move, which he likened to companies distributing profits to shareholders and to the additional $1,776 checks his administration issued to members of the armed forces last year.