Trump tells Walmart to ‘eat the tariffs’ after retailer warned it will raise prices
5/17/25
"President Donald Trump blasted Walmart on Saturday after the country’s largest retailer warned this week that it will have to raise prices because of tariffs.
“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. “I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
Walmart CFO John David Rainey said in an interview with CNBC on Thursday that, “We have not seen price increases at this magnitude, in the speed in which they’re coming at us before, and so it makes for a challenging environment.”
As a retail giant and the largest grocer in the country, Walmart is often seen as a bellwether for the health of retailers and U.S. consumers.
Rainey said he is “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.” That is despite a
90-day reprieve that lowered duties on Chinese imports to 30%. Goods from dozens of other countries face a 10% duty. Walmart imports electronics and toys from China and produce including avocados and bananas from Central and South America."
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