Walmart addresses President Trump’s demand to cover tariff costs. President Donald Trump and the American big-store company Walmart are trading words over an issue.
The exchange started this week after the retail giant announced that the prices of its goods would soon increase. The company explained that the upcoming price hike is due to the new tariffs that were imposed on imported goods. This announcement got the attention of the Republican leader, who told Walmart to “eat the tariffs.”
What did Trump mean by telling Walmart to “eat the tariffs”?
President Donald Trump took to social media and blasted the chain store. He posted on Truth Social, saying that Walmart should not blame him. He also told Walmart to cover the extra cost themselves and not raise prices for shoppers.
“Walmart should stop trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump wrote. “Between Walmart and China, they should, as is said, ‘eat the tariffs,’ and not charge valued customers anything. “I will be watching, and so will your customers!” the president warned in the post he put up on Truth Social on May 17.
Walmart vs. President Trump
After the president gave his stern warning on May 17, Walmart replied on May 20. The giant retail store responded to the president’s comments in a statement.
“We have always tried to keep our prices low, and we are not going to stop that,” Walmart spokesperson Joe Pennington said. “We will keep prices low for as long as we can, even though our profits on each item are small.”
According to earnings calls, even though Walmart did better than expected in sales earlier this year, the retail store might have to raise prices soon. This action is necessary because of the increased tariffs on imported goods set by the Trump administration.
Walmart is the latest big company in the U.S. to avoid giving a forecast for its profits in the second quarter. This is because it is unclear how Trump’s new tariffs will affect business in general. The retail giant has joined the long list of retailers warning consumers that prices might go up.
Trump has since stated that other countries are paying the cost of the tariffs. But this is contrary to what many experts say. They say American businesses pay the tariffs when buying goods from other countries. The companies then pass the cost on to their customers to keep making profits.
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Will Walmart Raise Prices Due to Increased Tariffs?
Walmart’s top manager, John David Rainey, made a statement concerning this question during a TV interview on May 15. Rainey said that the new tariffs will make things harder for stores, suppliers, and shoppers. He warned that customers will probably start to see prices significantly increase by the end of May and into June. He said this will especially happen for items like electronics, toys, and food.
Walmart’s president, Douglas McMillon, said they are trying to keep prices low for food and everyday items despite the increased tariffs. However, the new tariffs on products from countries like Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia are different. Products like bananas, avocados, coffee, and roses from these countries are more expensive.
The way global trade works changed when President Trump added a 10% tax on goods that are coming into the United States from other countries in April. Later, he imposed higher, nation-specific tariffs on 60 countries. However, as of now, President Trump has temporarily stopped these additional fees and is negotiating to make trade more fair between countries.
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The United States and China are big competitors when it comes to trade. At one point, the United States made buying some things from China really expensive. The president of the United States made this happen by increasing the types of goods coming in from China by 145%. However, on May 12, the two countries agreed to reduce this tariff for 90 days while they try to make a long-term deal.