Walmart heiress' "No kings" protest ad sparks backlash against retailer

Walmart heiress Christy Walton's ad in The New York Times over the weekend has led some consumers to say they'll be boycotting the retailer.

The advertisement promoting a nationwide anti-Trump protest has prompted backlash against Walmart despite the company distancing itself from the full-page 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.

Walton has also made clear that she paid for the ad herself, and that it represents her own views.

The ad calls on people to participate in the "No Kings" protest slated to take place across the U.S. on 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 nationwide protest was selected to draw attention away from the military demonstration, organizers said.

But as Ms. Walton, a billionaire, encourages the public to participate in peaceful demonstrations against the Trump administration, supporters of President Trump are urging shoppers to boycott Walmart.

"It may be time to #BoycottWalmart. #ChristyWalton, heiress of @Walmart has lost her mind in thinking she can fund revolutions against the American people/consumers," wrote X user Shaughn_A.

Kari Lake, senior adviser to the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees service media networks, shared an image of the ad on X and wrote, "Do you shop at Walmart?"

Rep. Anna Pauling Luna (R-Florida) also weighed in on the ad online, tying it directly to the retailer, with which the ad itself is not associated.

"Walmart heiress Christy Walton is funding full page color ads in the NYT for 'No Kings Day,' a nationwide counter protest scheduled for Trump's birthday, organized by far-left group Indivisible. Looks like the Walmart dynasty is big mad about China Tariffs," she wrote.

Mr. Trump and Walmart have clashed before. After Walmart said tariffs would force it to hike prices on some goods, the president posted on social media that the retail giant should "eat the tariffs" instead of raising prices for consumers.

• Walmart
• Trump Administration