Trump said on Saturday that Walmart should "eat the tariffs" instead of blaming duties imposed by his administration on imported goods for the retailer's increased prices.

His comments were in response to the world's largest retailer saying this week it would have to start raising prices later this month due to high tariffs.

As a bellwether of U.S. consumer health, Walmart's explicit statement about the impact of tariffs is a signpost for how the trade war is affecting the retail sector. Walmart is noted for its ability to manage costs more aggressively than other companies to keep prices low.