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Walmart Quietly Passes Trump’s Tariffs onto Customers with Some Prices Doubling

White House officials who cite falling inflation expect retailers to absorb Trump’s import levies

The logo of a Walmart Supercenter is seen on May 15, 2025 in Austin, Texas.
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Overview

  • Walmart has implemented price hikes on imported goods such as toys and office supplies, with some markups exceeding 100 percent.
  • Photos and tracking data show items like fishing reels rising about 45 percent and certain office supplies more than doubling in cost since April.
  • CEO Doug McMillon and CFO John David Rainey say narrow retail margins make it impossible to absorb all tariff costs despite efforts to keep prices low.
  • President Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have publicly rebuked retailers for passing tariffs to consumers while highlighting recent declines in headline inflation and the Fed’s preferred PCE gauge.
  • Retail analysts warn that supply-chain disruptions and shifting demand also drive price changes and note that about 60 percent of Walmart’s merchandise is sourced domestically.