MAGA America is about to catch the worst of what President Donald Trump’s tariff are bringing, and Trump knew all along his tariffs would bring it, says The New Republic’s ‘Daily Blast’ podcast host Greg Sargent and Groundwork Collaborative Executive Director Lindsay Owens.
Retail giant Walmart recently warned shoppers it will have to hike store prices due to Trump’s tariffs, despite Trump promising his voters that other nations would pay the costs.
Trump did not appreciate the pushback from Walmart and blasted the retailer on Truth Social, promising that shoppers would react harshly if the company did not “eat” the costs of his self-imposed levies.
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“This was a smoking gun that Trump is clear about who pays the price for these tariffs,” Owens said, adding that the Truth Social post amounts to an admission.
Trump’s threat that Walmart shoppers would be watching how the chain reacts may also have been an act of transference because voters will be more likely watching the White House. People know how tariffs work, said Owens.
“The American people are crystal clear on this,” she said. “We know from polling that two thirds of Americans expect tariffs to increase their prices. Eighty percent of Americans are clocking the tariffs. This is something they are aware of. He’s in real trouble here, and now he’s screaming from the bully pulpit that corporations should help him (mitigate) his own policy.”
Unfortunately for Trump, the top issues plaguing Trump’s predecessor are still on the minds of Americans in Trump’s second term, in no small part thanks to the enormous megaphone Trump blasted in the months leading up to the November election last year.
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“The No. 1 issue is still high prices,” Owens said. “It was a problem for Biden. Trump is very aware of that. He exploited it … and ran on bringing prices down and one of the first policies he’s implemented is basically a giant price hike on people. And now he’s reeling from the consequences.”
The fact that a massive retail chain like Walmart is publicly acknowledging the impending problem means other, smaller retailers will inevitably have to raise prices even higher, she added.
“If any company had the power to demand importers keep prices down it would be Walmart,” Owens said. “The fact that they can’t negotiate away the tariff’s higher costs means smaller companies will suffer even higher hikes.”
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And this, Owens said, means there will be no escaping the reality of what’s coming. Particularly for MAGA America.
“This absolutely is going have a substantial impact. Just based on the geography of the U.S. and Trump’s voters it makes perfect sense why he was reeling so quickly,” Owens said. “He knows exactly who this hurts and who is likely to hear that news and be quite worried.”
Hear the full Daily Blast podcast here.