Walmart layoffs will be massive as the retail bellwether will cut over 1,000 jobs to simplify operations. The company is seeking to streamline decision-making and lower its expenses as tariffs get more intense. Walmart U.S. CEO John Fumer and Walmart Global Chief Technology Officer Suresh Kumar said in a memo to employees that the company is making some changes to some teams in its global tech and Walmart U.S. organizations.
Walmart Layoffs to Have Cuts of Over 1,000 Jobs
The company recently faced price hikes due to the mounting pressure from tariffs. Walmart spokesperson Joe Pennington told USA Today, “We have always worked to keep our prices as low as possible, and we won’t stop. We’ll keep prices as low as we can for as long as we can, given the reality of small retail margins.” Pennigton said this statement in response to President Donald Trump’s accusation that the company was unfairly blaming his tariffs for the price increases.
Trump went so far as to command Walmart to “eat the tariffs” and go through with the import costs to consumers. On May 17, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Walmart should STOP trying to blame tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China, they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”
In the memo addressing the Walmart layoffs, the executives wrote, “The world of technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace, and reshaping our structure allows us to accelerate how we deliver and adapt to the changing environment around us.” While there will be some Walmart layoffs, the company said it is also “opening some new roles aligned with our business priorities and growth strategy.”
This comes on the heels of executives across the company sounding the alarm about the impact of tariffs, even meeting with Trump at one point earlier this year. However, the latest company moves are related to the tariffs. Nick Demoss, from Walmart Global Communications, said that the changes reflect “business priorities and our growth strategy.” A few locations, including the headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, will face the effects of Walmart layoffs.
Final Thoughts
There are 4,605 stores in the United States, and Walmart employs approximately 1.6 million people. In 2024, Walmart had about 2.1 million global employees. In other news, a Trump DOJ official called for Jill Biden to be charged with elder abuse. Walmart is the largest retailer in the world. Also, Donald Trump Jr. recently teased a potential presidential run.
