Billionaire Walmart heiress Christy Walton faced backlash from the White House and avoidance by Walmart itself after she bought an ad appearing to call Americans across the country to protest against President Donald Trump.
Walton, one of the richest women in America, bought a full-page ad in The New York Times declaring “NO KINGS,” referring to the No Kings organization that is coordinating hundreds of protests across the country against Trump’s administration on the same day as his military parade this weekend.
Andrew Cook, a spokesman for the No Kings organization, told Forbes there will be more than 1,800 events across America.
While Walton’s ad does not mention Trump directly, it instead appears to echo many common liberal critiques of the president and his policies by declaring, “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.”
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The ad declared America’s commitment to children, veterans, neighbors, and global stability, affirming integrity and democratic values. It concluded with a patriotic call to civic unity. A Walton spokesperson clarified the message, stating Christy Walton has no ties to recent protests and urged peaceful engagement in upcoming events.
The statement continued, “Her interest is simply in encouraging people to listen to one another, participate in their communities, and productively engage on the issues they care about. She believes while we have the right to protest, we do not have a right to violence. She condemns violence in all forms and her message promotes civic engagement, peaceful dialogue, and the sharing of diverse views and voices.”
