Trump Criticizes Walmart Price Hikes Amid Tariff Impact

Walmart plans to raise prices on certain products due to tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which have increased costs on imports from countries including China, Vietnam, Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia. CEO Doug McMillon acknowledged the challenge of absorbing these additional costs without raising prices, given narrow retail margins, with price increases expected to start in late May and intensify in June. President Donald Trump criticized Walmart's decision to pass these costs onto customers, urging the company and China to "eat the tariffs" instead, and warned he would be watching Walmart's pricing closely. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that Walmart would absorb some of the tariff costs but admitted some increases may be passed on to consumers, emphasizing efforts to minimize price hikes amid inflation concerns. Walmart has not publicly commented on private discussions with government officials, and the company’s position remains that it must balance profit margins with consumer expectations. The ongoing tariff policy continues to create tensions between the government’s trade agenda, retailers’ pricing strategies, and consumer inflation fears.