Trump Urges Walmart to Cancel Price Increase Plan… “Tariffs Not to Blame”

# Trump Urges Walmart to Absorb Tariffs Instead of Passing Costs to Consumers ## President Warns Retail Giant Against Price Hikes Amid Record Profits (Washington) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Walmart to rethink its announced plans to raise prices due to heightened tariffs on Chinese imports, urging the retail giant to absorb these costs rather than transferring them to consumers. In a post on Truth Social, Trump sharply criticized Walmart, stating, "Walmart needs to stop blaming tariffs for their chain-wide price increase plan." He argued that the company, which reported significant profits last year, should mitigate the impact of tariffs through negotiations with Chinese suppliers instead of burdening American customers. "Walmart made tens of billions of dollars — far more than they expected — in profits last year," Trump wrote. "Instead of passing tariffs onto consumers, I strongly urge them to absorb the costs by working with their major supplier, China. I will be watching, and so will their customers." Trump's comments come in direct response to Walmart CFO John David Rainey's remarks. In an interview with CNBC on May 15, Rainey stated that tariffs remain "far too high" and warned that U.S. consumers might see price increases starting later this month or early next month. ## U.S.-China Tariff Dynamics Remain Contentious These remarks follow high-level U.S.-China trade negotiations in Geneva earlier this month, where both nations agreed to temporarily lower certain tariffs. The agreement, effective for 90 days, includes a reduction of 115 percentage points off their respective tariff rates. Nevertheless, the U.S. continues to impose a 30% tariff on Chinese goods, alongside a baseline 10% tariff on most other imports enacted last month. Trump’s call to action underscores his broader strategy of using trade tariffs as a geopolitical and economic lever. His administration imposed sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports during his presidency, aiming to reduce trade imbalances and pressure Beijing into favorable trade terms. ## "China Would Have Collapsed," Trump Claims In a separate interview aired by Fox News on May 16, Trump asserted that if he had not agreed to the recent tariff adjustments, "China would have collapsed." Trump’s calculated message targets both the domestic corporate sector and foreign competitors, reflecting his ongoing focus on economic nationalism while keeping pressure on the Chinese economy amid strained bilateral ties. As Walmart navigates consumer expectations, corporate profits, and geopolitical trade tensions, all eyes will remain on how the retail behemoth responds to the former president's pointed critique.