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Walmart slashes 1,500 jobs amid standoff with Trump: Who will be affected?
Walmart is laying off 1,500 workers amid restructuring, while grappling with rising prices due to tariffs on Chinese imports.
Walmart is laying off around 1,500 workers across the United States as it pushes through a major overhaul. This comes amidst an ongoing standoff with President Donald Trump over his sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports that are forcing the country’s largest private employer to raise prices.
Who will be affected by Walmart's layoff
The latest round of job cuts will affect employees in global tech operations, e-commerce fulfilment centres, and Walmart Connect's advertising arm.
“To accelerate our progress delivering the experiences that will define the future of retail, we must sharpen our focus,” the company said in an internal memo. “Reshaping our structure allows us to accelerate how we deliver and adapt to the changing environment around us.”
The layoffs also follow the closure of Walmart’s North Carolina office earlier this year. Staff from that location were asked to relocate to central hubs in California and Arkansas.
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Walmart, which employs roughly 1.6 million people in the States and more than 2.1 million globally, has been sounding that about 60% of its products come from China, Trump’s trade war hit them hard.
Most of the affected products are everyday essentials for American families: clothes, electronics, and toys.
Trump, who promised to keep prices low during his 2024 campaign, has accused Walmart of taking advantage of customers. He even told the company to “eat the tariffs,” rather than pass them on to shoppers.
Notably, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, along with the heads of Target and Home Depot, recently met with Trump in the White House. “We had a productive meeting with President Trump and his team and appreciated the opportunity to share our insights,” Walmart said at the time.
Target added that they were “committed to delivering value for American consumers.”
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However, Walmart previously suggested that tariffs could ultimately benefit them by making them a more appealing destination for budget-minded customers.
