President-elect Donald Trump in his first term as president sent out two stimulus checks to millions of Americans during the pandemic, part of the federal government's goal of keeping consumers financially afloat during the crisis. Now, some social media posts are claiming that Trump, once he takes office next year, may issue another check — a likelihood that experts say is extremely slim. 

Posts on TikTok are suggesting Trump might issue another round of checks, while on X, some users are questioning if they're in line for a payment. 

When the COVID-19 health emergency shuttered the economy in 2020, millions of Americans lost their jobs, sending the jobless rate to almost 15% and causing financial hardship for many. As a result, Trump signed two bills that sent stimulus checks to eligible households, while President Biden authorized a third. 

Even though many Americans feel the economy is faring badly, with some pointing to the impact of the pandemic's high inflation, the U.S. isn't anywhere close to the situation of the early 2020s, economists say.