In the debate over his tariff policy, US President Donald Trump sharply criticized retail giant Walmart. The company should not use the tariffs as an excuse for price increases, Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. Walmart had earned billions last year—far more than expected, according to Trump. In his opinion, the
corporation and China should "swallow the tariffs"—and not pass them on to end consumers. "I will be watching closely—and so will your customers!!!" Trump warned.
The US President was likely reacting to statements made by Walmart CFO John David Rainey. According to CNBC, he recently explained that while they were satisfied with
the government's progress on tariffs, the level was still too high. Walmart, along with its suppliers, would absorb part of the price increases themselves—nevertheless, consumers are likely to feel the impact, according to Rainey. Bloomberg quoted him as saying that the price increases would become noticeable on the shelves by May at
the latest.
Walmart is emblematic of low prices in the USA. A significant portion of goods, such as electronics and clothing, comes directly or indirectly from China. Higher US tariffs on Chinese imports increase cost pressure along the supply chain. This carries political explosives—possibly even for Trump, whose core voter base is
