Stimulus Checks Will Carry Trump's Signature - The New York Times

The decision to have President Trump’s name appear on the checks is a break in protocol.

• Published April 14, 2020Updated April 15, 2020, 7:57 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s name will appear on the economic stimulus checks that will be mailed to millions of Americans in the coming weeks, the Treasury Department confirmed on Tuesday.

The decision to have Mr. Trump’s name on the checks, a break in protocol, was made by the Treasury Department after Mr. Trump suggested the idea to Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, according to a department official.

The president’s name will appear in the “memo” section of the check because Mr. Trump is not legally authorized to sign such disbursements.

A department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, denied that the decision would delay the disbursement of the checks and said that they would be mailed beginning next week. The decision about the president’s name was first reported by The Washington Post.

But many Americans may not see the president’s name. Those who are eligible for stimulus payments and have provided their banking information to the Internal Revenue Service will receive the money through direct deposit.

Representatives for the I.R.S. and the White House referred questions to the Treasury Department.

Treasury and I.R.S. officials briefed House Democrats about the economic stimulus payments this month and said that paper checks would be issued at a rate of about five million per week, beginning the week of May 4, for up to 20 weeks.

A memo that House Democrats drafted after the briefing made no mention of Mr. Trump’s name appearing on the paper checks.

Erin Hatch, a spokeswoman for the House Ways and Means Committee Democrats, said that lawmakers were not made aware of the plan.

“The committee was not consulted about this,” she said, “and we do not want the checks to be delayed for a second to add the signature.”

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Finance Committee, criticized the Trump administration’s move to include the president’s name on the relief money.

“Donald Trump is further delaying cash payments to millions of Americans struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table to feed his ego,” Mr. Wyden said. “Only this president would try to make a pandemic and economic catastrophe all about him.”

The Treasury said the first checks were expected to be in the mail early next week, ahead of initial estimates.