Walmart heiress Christy Walton promotes "No Kings" anti-Trump protest in ad

CBS News

20 hours ago

Walmart heiress Christy Walton is promoting a coordinated nationwide protest against President Trump through a full-page ad that ran in the New York Times on Sunday.
The ad placed by the billionaire heiress calls on readers to participate in a "No Kings" protest slated to take place across the country on Saturday, June 14 — the same day a military parade celebrating the Army's 250th Anniversary is set to take place in Washington, D.C. The date of the parade and protests also coincides with Mr. Trump's birthday.
Walton urges readers to "mobilize" around the "No Kings" protest on June 14, the name and date of which is included in the ad.
Ad placed in the New York Times by billionaire heiress Christy Walton calling on readers to participate in anti-Trump "No Kings" protests slated to take place nationwide.
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Below the header, Walton lists eight declarations, including "WE honor our commitments and stand by our allies, WE defend against aggression by dictators, WE care for veterans and children, WE respect our neighbors and trading partners, WE support a health national and international economy, WE uphold the stability of rule of law," and more.
More text is printed at the bottom of the full-page advertisement. "We are the people of the United States of America. The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country are not for sale," it reads.
"Our government is of the people, by the people, for the people," the last line of the ad states.
Walmart made clear that the retail chain is not in any way associated with Ms. Walton's ad.
"The advertisements from Christy Walton are in no way connected to or endorsed by Walmart. She does not serve on the board or play any role in decision-making at Walmart," the company said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
"Eat the tariffs"
Walmart was among the retailers in May who said that Mr. Trump's tariff agenda would force them to pass on added costs to its customers.
"We can control what we can control," Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said on the company's first quarter earnings call last month. "Even at the reduced levels, the higher tariffs will result in higher prices," he added.
Mr. Trump later warned Walmart against raising its prices, writing on social media that it should "eat the tariffs" rather than raise prices on consumer products to offset costs associated with the levies.
When asked about the protests Thursday, Mr. Trump said he did not feel like a king because "I have to go through hell to get stuff approved."
What are the "No Kings" protests?
A website dedicated to the protests explains that Saturday will mark "a national day of action and mass mobilization" in response to what it calls "the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration."
"We've watched as they've cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political positions, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts. They've done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies. They think they rule — but we are bigger than even their worst aspirations," the site reads.
The date of the protests was deliberately selected to detract attention from Mr. Trump's military parade, the group said on the website.
"Instead of allowing this military parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day: people coming together in communities across the country to reject strongman politics and corruption."