US treasury secretary says Walmart will ‘eat some of the tariffs’ after Trump demand

Scott Bessent claims he received assurance in a personal call with company's chief executive

The US retail giant Walmart will eat some of the tariffs" in line with Donald Trump's demands, the president's treasury secretary Scott Bessent insisted on Sunday, claiming he received the assurance in a personal phone call with the company's chief executive, Doug McMillon.

A spokesperson for Walmart said the company would not comment on conversations between its executives and administration officials. However, a source familiar with the conversation said the phone call between Bessent and McMillon was arranged many days prior to Trump's post - and that the company's position had not changed.