Outline:
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is encountering backlash on social media after expressing that he isn’t worried about bare store shelves due to President Trump’s contentious tariff policy. He believes this is because stores have made advance orders assuming they will receive their stock as expected.
“Are you concerned about bare shelves?” Bessant was questioned by Fox News’ “Fox and Friends” on Monday.
“At this moment, no. However, we do have several excellent retailers. I suppose they placed their orders in advance,” he replied.
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Users of social media were taken aback by the secretary’s reply.
User @Hannibal999
wrote:
Leading Treasury requires knowing the status of essential imports and supplies rather than assuming. Hoping isn’t a supply chain strategy, and assumptions won’t stock shelves when the system fails.
Another user @DonMcGowan
said
, “Is he trying to say that retailers had the foresight to mass over-order before Trump came in and destroyed trade links across the world? Trump made the decisions in one day. Then made it worse, two days later.”
Author Stephanie Kelton
wrote
,”The prices remain stable at present,” the executives of large retail chains informed the president, however, they warned that “shelves could soon be bare” and this situation “might become evident within two weeks.”
ALSO READ:“Shelves Will Be Empty”: US’ Top 3 Retailers’ CEOs Persuade Trump to Alter Economic Strategy
User @KanKansi
wrote
What will they say when the shelves are bare?
An account @LiveOnTheChat
wrote”We’ll find out how swiftly the Chinese wish to calm things down,” Xi shows no urgency to discuss terms. Prepare for barren store shelves for several months. Clearly, these individuals haven’t got a clue about what they’re doing.”
The National Retail Federation
thinks
If the higher tariffs are not revoked, U.S. imports are expected to drop by at least 20 percent during the latter part of 2025.
“There is a genuine chance of shortages,” analyst John Harmon from Coresight Research stated.
told Axios
last week.
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CEOs warning Trump’s tariffs may cause ’empty shelves’ at retail — here’s when it might happen