Walmart is facing calls for a boycott from supporters of President Donald Trump after Christy Walton, a billionaire heiress to the retail giant, funded an ad in The New York Times criticizing the commander-in-chief. The ad, published Sunday, June 8, urged Americans to “mobilize” on “No Kings” day — a movement started by the group 50501.
The demonstrations
Hundreds of “No Kings” protests are planned across the United States on Saturday, June 14, opposing Trump’s immigration policies and military parade in Washington, D.C. The parade is also scheduled for Saturday and will coincide with the president’s 79th birthday, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and Flag Day.
The ad
The ad covered an entire page of The Times and promoted “No Kings” demonstrations. While it did not specifically mention Trump, the president’s supporters noted it criticized his policies and actions. The ad read, in part, “We uphold and defend the Constitution.“
“We care for veterans and children, we are the world leader trusted to uphold the stability of the law,” it continued. The ad said, “The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country is not for sale,” and was accompanied by a QR code directing readers to a map of more than 1,800 planned demonstrations across the United States.
Los Angeles protests
Walton’s call to action also came amid the protests in Los Angeles against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids ordered by the Trump administration. The president had deployed Marines and National Guard troops to California to respond to the demonstrations.
White House response
The White House and supporters of Trump were quick to respond.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai told the New York Post on Wednesday, June 11, “Great, a left-wing billionaire feels like burning some of her inheritance for a PR stunt.”
“It’s not going to change the fact that over 77 million Americans voted for mass deportations, border security, and America First trade policies— a mandate that the Trump administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to deliver on.”
Calls for boycott
The president’s allies also called for a boycott of Walmart.
White House special advisor Kari Lake wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Do you shop at Walmart?” Her post featured a picture of the ad in The Times.
Florida GOP Rep. Anna Paulina Luna posted on X, “Walmart heiress Christy Walton is funding full-page color ads in the New York Times for ‘No Kings Day,’ a nationwide counter-protest for Trump’s birthday, organized by the far-left group Indivisible.”
“Looks like the Walmart dynasty is big mad about China tariffs,” she added.
Trump ally Roger Stone also posted on social media, “Boycott Walmart.”
Stone continued, “The Walmart heiress subsidizes insurrection. Next up peaceful protest outside all of their stores to encourage people not to shop there. Essentially what left-wing stooges did to Tesla. Let’s go.”
Christy Walton’s response
A spokesperson for Christy Walton emphasized that she does not support violence and said she ran the ad to get “people to engage peacefully and civilly” on Saturday. They also noted she has not provided any funding to protesters in Los Angeles.
“Christy has provided no funding to organizations or individuals involved in the demonstrations in Los Angeles or other cities, nor has she provided any funding to those organizing the upcoming events,” the spokesperson said.
“Her interest is simply in encouraging people to listen to one another, participate in their communities, and productively engage on the issues they care about. She believes while we have the right to protest, we do not have a right to violence. She condemns violence in all forms and her message promotes civic engagement, peaceful dialogue and the sharing of diverse views and voices.”
“No Kings” organizers have decided to skip demonstrations in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will take place. They argued it would only lend legitimacy to what they view as a political spectacle. Trump has warned that anyone planning to protest at the parade will be met with force.
White House’s statement
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday, June 12, that the president “supports the right of Americans to peacefully protest” but added that it “is not the majority of behavior that we are seeing in Los Angeles.”
Leavitt pushed back at accusations that Trump sees himself as a king. She told journalists, “The president views himself as President of the United States of America. This is a constitutional Republic, and we want to see all of our citizens be proud of the country in which they are given the privilege and blessing to live.”
Walmart distances itself from ad
Walmart distanced itself from the ad in a statement to The New York Post.
“The advertisement from Christy Walton [is] in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart,” spokesperson Joe Pennington said. He also noted that Walton “has no active role in company decisions.”
While Walton may not have a say in business decisions at Walmart, she does reportedly hold a 1.9% stake in the retailer.
“We condemn violence, including when it’s directed towards law enforcement and the damaging of property,” said Pennington. “As a company with associates and customers in the Los Angeles region, we remain focused on their safety and that of impacted communities.”
The latest controversy at Walmart followed Trump telling the nation’s largest retailer to “eat the tariffs” on Truth Social after the company warned it would raise prices as a result of the president’s duties on China and other nations.
