Fact Check: Walmart heiress Christy Walton paid for NYT anti-Trump protest ad. Here's everything we know
Walmart heiress Christy Walton paid for a newspaper advertisement in The New York Times that promoted an anti-Trump 'No Kings' protest on June 14, 2025.
Rating:
As U.S. President Donald Trump's planned military parade to celebrate his birthday approached in June 2025, rumors circulated on social media that an heiress to the Walmart retail fortune, Christy Walton, paid for a full-page, anti-Trump advertisement in a newspaper.
Christy Walton is a billionaire with a net worth of $19.3 billion, as of June 2025, according to Forbes, widow of John T. Walton, the son of Walmart founder Sam Walton.
Users shared an image of the purported ad, featuring the Statue of Liberty and some text advertising a protest on June 14, 2025, on social media. The claim circulated widely on X (archived, archived, archived), Threads (archived), Facebook (archived) and Instagram (archived).
Users sharing the claim included U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna from Florida, who said, "the Walmart dynasty is big mad about China Tariffs."
The alleged ad read:
No Kings
June 14
Mobilize
We are a people of principle and honor.
We honor our commitments and stand by our allies.
We defend against aggression by dictators.
We uphold and defend the Constitution.
We care for veterans and children.
We respect our neighbors and trading partners.
We support a healthy national and international economy, community, and environment.
We are the world leader trusted to uphold the stability of rule of law.
We are the people of the United States of America. The honor, dignity, and integrity of our country are not for sale.
Our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The bottom of the advertisement depicted a QR code leading to the No Kings website, along with the words "paid for by Christy Walton" and "the views represented here are solely those of Christy Walton."
The claim is true. The ad ran in the Sunday, June 8, 2025, edition of The New York Times and can be seen on Page 9 of the paper, including the digital edition in addition to other papers nationwide. A spokesperson for the billionaire also confirmed to Snopes via telephone that Walton paid for the ad but has no official connection to the organizers behind the No Kings protest.
The No Kings day of protest is described on its website as "a nationwide day of defiance" scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 14, 2025, which is flag day, Trump's 79th birthday and the date of the president's planned military parade.
The No Kings website declared, "From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we're taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like. We're not gathering to feed his ego. We're building a movement that leaves him behind."
While Walton inherited a 1.9% stake in Walmart following her husband's 2005 death, according to Forbes, a spokesperson for Walmart told Snopes via email that Walton has no involvement in the business.
Walmart's full statement to Snopes read:
We condemn violence, including when it's directed towards law enforcement, and the damaging of property. As a company with associates and customers in the Los Angeles region, we remain focused on their safety and that of impacted communities. 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.
Though Walmart's statement addresses violence at protests, it's important to note that nothing in the advertisement called for violence of any kind and did not directly address the ongoing protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Los Angeles. Further, No Kings calls "nonviolent action" a "core principle" of their events.
Its website's "about" page stated, "We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values and to act lawfully at these events. Weapons of any kind, including those legally permitted, should not be brought to events."
Walton is a noted philanthropist and a review of her political contributions listed on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) database shows hefty donations to organizations like Planned Parenthood and The Lincoln Project, as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign for president.
In September 2024, Bloomberg reported Walton co-hosted a fundraiser for Harris in Wyoming, where she lives. Further, the outlet wrote Walton was "one of the prominent Democratic donors who urged President Joe Biden to exit the race after his calamitous debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump."
Snopes reached out to the No Kings organizers and will update this article if we receive a response.
"Browse Individual Contributions." FEC.Gov, https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/. Accessed 11 June 2025.
McEvoy, Jemima. "Billionaire Walmart Heiress Urges People To 'Mobilize' At June 14 Anti-Trump Protests." Forbes, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2025/06/10/billionaire-walmart-heiress-promotes-nationwide-anti-trump-protests-on-june-14/. Accessed 11 June 2025.
"No Kings." No Kings, https://www.nokings.org. Accessed 11 June 2025.
"Son of Wal-Mart Founder Killed in Plane Crash." NBC News, 28 June 2005, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8381553.
The New York Times Replica Edition. https://nytimes.pressreader.com/the-new-york-times/20250608. Accessed 11 June 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
3 Side Gigs That Could Struggle in a High-Tariff Economy
The world is bracing for a changing economy as many of President Trump's new tariffs go into effect. Not only will these added costs on imports hurt Americans' wallets, they could make earning money in the gig economy harder, too. Consider This: Read Next: Trump announced on Wednesday, July 16 that he would send a letter implementing tariffs on goods from 150 smaller countries. Tariffs with larger trade partners, including Mexico, the European Union and Canada would also go into effect on August 1. Tariffs already in effect include a 25% tariff on vehicle import and auto parts, a 30% tariff on many Chinese imports, and up to 50% on steel and aluminum, according to NewsNation. These tariffs will affect prices on consumer goods, which, in turn, could hurt small businesses and gig workers. GOBankingRates spoke with Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now, to find out which gig workers could be hit hardest by tariffs in 2025. Rideshare and Delivery Drivers Drivers for companies like Uber and Lyft could feel the sting of tariffs on oil imports, motor vehicles and car parts, which would increase their business costs. 'Fuel, tires and parts, many of which are imported, become more expensive,' Spencer said. At the same time, demand might decrease. Faced with rising costs, people might forgo little luxuries like ordering DoorDash or having their groceries delivered via InstaCart. 'In a high-tariff economy, side gigs that rely heavily on consumer convenience tend to struggle first,' Spencer said. 'When prices rise, people naturally start cutting back on discretionary spending. That often impacts gig workers who depend on steady, high-volume demand.' Learn More: Task-Based Gigs and Home Help People who have been making money doing random tasks around the home through services like TaskRabbit may struggle to find customers. People who assemble furniture, mount TVs or perform small contracting and handyman tasks around the home will likely feel the impact of tariffs. People may choose to complete these tasks on their own rather than hiring someone. Plus, Spencer said, 'If the price of imported goods like furniture or electronics increases, people may delay or avoid those purchases. That naturally reduces demand for anyone offering services to set them up. Even when demand is steady, the cost of tools and materials often rises, which means gig workers are spending more out of pocket just to do their jobs.' Online Resellers If you've been earning money through eBay, Facebook Marketplace or affiliate sales, you may want to brace yourself for reduced sales and shrinking profit margins. 'If your side hustle involves sourcing products from overseas, such as electronics, clothing or beauty items, you may see your margins shrink,' Spencer said. 'Tariffs raise the base cost of goods, and consumers may push back on higher prices. That combination makes it harder for solo sellers to compete or stay profitable.' What To Do Instead While some gig workers may struggle, it doesn't mean the gig economy is dead. 'Not all side gigs are equally vulnerable,' Spencer said. Pointing to recent data from Resume Now, he noted that administrative support roles saw a 10% pay increase in the first quarter of 2025. Remote healthcare support has seen 70% year-over-year growth, based on further Resume Now data. 'Workers who want to future-proof their income in a high-tariff or high-cost economy might consider transitioning into roles that are both essential and automation-resistant,' Spencer advised. 'The side gigs most likely to succeed in a high-tariff economy are those that meet essential needs, help others cut costs, or can be performed remotely.' More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard 7 Luxury SUVs That Will Become Affordable in 2025 6 Hybrid Vehicles To Stay Away From in Retirement This article originally appeared on 3 Side Gigs That Could Struggle in a High-Tariff Economy Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Highwood Asset Management (CVE:HAM) shareholders have endured a 67% loss from investing in the stock five years ago
Generally speaking long term investing is the way to go. But that doesn't mean long term investors can avoid big losses. For example, after five long years the Highwood Asset Management Ltd. (CVE:HAM) share price is a whole 67% lower. That's an unpleasant experience for long term holders. It's worthwhile assessing if the company's economics have been moving in lockstep with these underwhelming shareholder returns, or if there is some disparity between the two. So let's do just that. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). Highwood Asset Management became profitable within the last five years. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time. Revenue is actually up 42% over the time period. A more detailed examination of the revenue and earnings may or may not explain why the share price languishes; there could be an opportunity. The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail). We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. So it makes a lot of sense to check out what analysts think Highwood Asset Management will earn in the future (free profit forecasts). A Different Perspective Investors in Highwood Asset Management had a tough year, with a total loss of 1.3%, against a market gain of about 22%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. However, the loss over the last year isn't as bad as the 11% per annum loss investors have suffered over the last half decade. We'd need to see some sustained improvements in the key metrics before we could muster much enthusiasm. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks, for example - Highwood Asset Management has 4 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: most of them are flying under the radar). Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Canadian exchanges. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
The Hill
5 minutes ago
- The Hill
Summers on BLS commissioner firing: ‘Way beyond anything that Richard Nixon ever did'
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers on Sunday said President Trump's decision to fire the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics following a dismal jobs report is 'way beyond anything that Richard Nixon ever did.' During an appearance on ABC News's 'This Week,' Summers slammed the decision to fire Erika McEntarfer and said it was worse than the firings made by former President Nixon, who notably fired the special prosecutor investigating the Watergate scandal, with others submitting their resignations alongside him. While Nixon was not impeached, he eventually resigned over the scandal. 'This is way beyond anything that Richard Nixon ever did,' he said. 'I'm surprised that other officials have not responded by resigning themselves as took place when Richard Nixon fired people lawlessly.' Summers called it a 'preposterous charge,' noting that the numbers were compiled 'by teams of literally hundreds of people following detailed procedures that are in manuals.' 'There's no conceivable way that the head of the BLS could have manipulated this number,' he added. 'The numbers are in line with what we're seeing from all kinds of private sector sources.' He said the move 'is the stuff of democracies giving way to authoritarianism,' comparing it to 'threatening the heads of newspapers,' 'launching assaults on universities,' and 'launching assaults on law firms that defend clients that the elected boss finds uncongenial.' 'This is really scary stuff,' he continued. 'And it can hardly be surprising that when the rule of law is a bit in question, that there's a big uncertainty premium in the markets that is operating to both make their be less investment, which slows the economy down, and also means there's less supply so that there's more inflationary pressure.' Trump's firing comes after a weaker-than-expected jobs report that showed the economy gained only 73,000 jobs in July, doing far worse than previously reported in May and June. Summers noted that Trump is 'looking to set up a scapegoat if the economy performs badly' when asked about the president's heavy criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who Trump said he 'most likely' won't oust. In May 2020, Trump said he 'learned a lot from Richard Nixon,' and not to 'fire people.' 'I learned a lot from Richard Nixon. Don't fire people,' Trump said during a phone interview with 'Fox & Friends' at the time. 'I learned a lot. I study history,' he said. 'And the firing of everybody — I should've in one way, but I'm glad I didn't, because look at the way it turned out. They're all a bunch of crooks and they got caught.'
