Retailers Warn Trump: Price Hikes Are Coming

Retailers are signaling to President Donald Trump that his tariffs will soon translate to higher prices for consumers, according to a report in The New York Post. Business editor and Fox correspondent Charles Gasparino detailed Friday how the retail industry is communicating its inability to absorb the costs of the tariffs indefinitely. Price increases are anticipated “in the coming weeks,” impacting a wide range of imported goods, particularly those originating from China.

The situation stems from a previous demand by President Trump to major retailers like Walmart – specifically, his instruction to “EAT THE TARIFFS” and avoid passing costs onto customers. He even warned he would be “watching,” along with those customers. However, retailers are now indicating that sustained absorption of these costs is unsustainable.

Gasparino’s sources, speaking anonymously, suggest the warnings were received without immediate reprimand from the President – he did not dismiss the retailers from a meeting in the Oval Office. This suggests a potential acknowledgement, however reluctant, of the economic realities.

The impending price increases are likely to create friction between the administration and the business community. While official inflation figures remain uncertain, consumers who rely on affordable imported goods will undoubtedly feel the impact. It’s a precarious situation, and the President’s initial expectation that retailers simply absorb the tariff costs appears increasingly unrealistic. The coming weeks will be a critical test of economic pressure and political maneuvering, potentially forcing a confrontation between the White House and major players in the retail sector. It remains to be seen whether the administration will adjust its approach or allow market forces to dictate the outcome.