President Trump Targets Walmart Over Price Hikes, Tells Retail Giant to ‘Eat the Tariffs’
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a blistering attack on Walmart, accusing the retail giant of exploiting ongoing trade tensions to justify unjustified price hikes. In a sharply worded post on his social media platform, Truth Social, the president demanded that Walmart absorb the added costs associated with tariffs rather than passing them on to American families.
“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump wrote. “Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China, they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING.”
The remarks come on the heels of Walmart’s announcement that it would be raising prices on a range of products—despite a significant softening in trade policy that was meant to ease pressures on American importers. In early April, Trump’s administration rolled back a controversial 145 percent import tax on Chinese goods, reducing it to a more manageable 30 percent. In a reciprocal move, China dropped its counter-tariff on U.S. goods from 125 percent to just 10 percent.
Still, Walmart’s leadership insisted the tariff burden remained too high.
Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey, speaking to CNBC, said the company welcomed the reduction, but it wasn’t enough.
“We’re pleased with the progress that’s been made by the [Trump] administration on tariffs from the levels that were announced in early April, but they’re still too high,” he stated.
The markets responded swiftly. Walmart’s stock dropped nearly 4 percent following the announcement of price hikes but managed to recover by the end of Friday’s trading. Still, consumer sentiment appeared rattled, and the president’s message seemed timed to capitalize on public frustration with rising costs of living.
For President Trump, the issue goes beyond trade policy—it’s about accountability and fairness. His administration has framed tariffs as a strategic tool, not a burden, arguing that large corporations with record profits have a responsibility to protect consumers during periods of economic adjustment.
“I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!” Trump warned.
This confrontation isn’t just a one-off spat between the White House and a corporate giant. It marks a broader campaign by President Trump to pressure major U.S. companies to fall in line with his economic vision—one rooted in protectionism, domestic manufacturing, and consumer-first policies.
While economists remain divided on the long-term effects of tariffs, Trump is betting that Americans will rally behind his push to call out companies he believes are abusing the system. Walmart, with its massive profit margins and dominant retail footprint, has become a convenient symbol in that narrative.
At stake is more than just the price of household goods. With inflation remaining stubbornly high and wages struggling to keep pace, Trump is seizing the moment to reinforce his image as the economic populist—willing to take on both foreign competitors and domestic elites to defend ordinary Americans.
The bigger question now looming is whether Walmart’s actions will set a precedent for other major retailers. Companies like Target, Home Depot, and Costco are also heavily reliant on international supply chains and could face similar pressures to adjust pricing as trade policies shift. If these corporations follow Walmart’s lead and raise prices despite tariff reductions, it could trigger a wave of backlash—not just from the White House, but from millions of American consumers.
That risk is exactly what Trump is hoping to head off. His strategy is clear: apply political pressure on high-profile companies to act in alignment with national economic priorities—or risk being publicly named and shamed.
Supporters of Trump’s hardline approach argue that it’s about time someone held corporate America accountable. They point to years of rising CEO salaries, stock buybacks, and profit hoarding as evidence that companies can afford to take a hit—especially when American families are struggling to pay for groceries, gas, and basic goods.
Critics, however, warn that Trump’s pressure tactics may backfire, creating uncertainty for businesses and leading to erratic pricing, reduced investment, and ultimately, fewer jobs. They also highlight the fact that tariffs—no matter how well-intentioned—function as taxes on imports, which inevitably raise costs unless companies are willing to eat the losses.
Yet Trump remains undeterred. His message to Walmart, and by extension to other corporate giants, is unambiguous: the era of unchecked profiteering under the guise of global instability is over.
Whether this high-stakes standoff results in real changes at the checkout counter remains to be seen. But one thing is clear—Trump is using the full weight of the presidency not only to influence international trade but to reshape the relationship between American consumers and the corporations they rely on every day.
As the election cycle intensifies and economic anxieties persist, this story is far from over. Trump has drawn a line in the sand—and Walmart may just be the first of many to be pushed into it.
