President Trump appeared to acknowledge Wednesday that toy shortages are possible as his tariff hikes ripple through the economy.
American retailers are growing worried that the president’s trade war and increased volatility will lead to empty shelves, higher prices and store closures as Chinese imports screech to a halt.
The CEOs of Walmart, Target and Home Depot privately warned him last week about the likelihood of product shortages and price spikes.
“Somebody said, ‘oh, the shelves are gonna be open,'” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “Well, maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls, and maybe the two dolls will cost a couple of bucks more.”
His comments came amid growing concern that the 2025 holiday shopping season will be significantly disrupted.
Toy Association CEO Greg Ahearn told the New York Times this week that the industry is facing “a frozen supply chain that is putting Christmas at risk.”
“If we don’t start production soon, there’s a high probability of a toy shortage this holiday season,” Ahearn said.
