How Trump Turns Walmart into a Hostage of His Illusions and Loses His Last Grip on Reality..
It is a lesson in economic ignorance and a spectacle of denial. US President Donald Trump, who presents himself as a master negotiator, has set his sights on Walmart. The largest retailer in the United States is supposed to "swallow" his tariffs instead of raising prices. “Walmart should STOP trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump ranted on Truth Social. “Walmart and China should, as they say, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and charge valued customers NOTHING.” How disconnected from reality must one be to make such a statement?
It is the voice of a man trapped in a world of contradictions. Trump has used tariffs as a weapon against foreign producers, built his political brand as a defender of American workers, and simultaneously ignored the laws of the market. Tariffs are taxes on imports, and those costs must be paid somewhere. If foreign producers do not bear the tariffs, they inevitably fall on the shoulders of American consumers.
Walmart – a giant with 1.6 million employees in the United States – has already warned that prices will rise. Car seats from China could soon become $100 more expensive. Bananas, toys, clothing – all of it will become more expensive because tariffs act like an invisible surcharge that flows through the entire supply chain. “We are wired to keep prices low, but there is a limit to what we can bear – or any other retailer for that matter,” explained Walmart CFO John David Rainey.
But Trump knows no limits. His reaction is typical of a presidency built on the logic of political theater. He has attacked Apple and Amazon when they complained about rising costs. He has threatened automakers, telling them not to raise the prices of their vehicles – even as his tariffs drove production costs up. And now it is Walmart's turn.
The tariffs, which were supposed to be a pressure tool against China, are now burdening American households. The preliminary University of Michigan consumer confidence index fell to its second-lowest level in the survey's history. Around 75% of respondents “spontaneously” mentioned tariffs, expressing concern about rising prices. The inflation Trump claimed to fight has gained new momentum through his tariffs.
But for Trump, this is all part of a narrative. A president who portrays himself as a fighter against foreign exploiters and a defender of American families – while simultaneously denying reality. That it is not China paying for his tariffs, but the people at the supermarket checkout. That it is not Walmart losing billions, but the families who must dig deeper into their pockets for basic goods and everyday items.
It is a dance around tariffs – a dance where the president conducts and consumers foot the bill. Walmart stands at the center of this absurd drama – a symbol of the reality Trump refuses to see. And while he continues to demand that tariffs be "swallowed," the bitter truth remains: it is American families who end up paying the price.
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