America’s highest-profile retail chains are walking a difficult tightrope — trying to blunt the financial hit from tariffs by raising prices for consumers without angering them or President Donald Trump.

U.S. companies are also still cautioning about how tariffs could affect their businesses. On Walmart 's ( WMT -1.35%) earnings call last week, CEO Doug McMillon warned about potential repercussions. President Trump responded on social media that Walmart makes billions of dollars in sales, and that it should "eat the tariffs." But can it?

Under former President Donald Trump, U.S. tariffs have soared to their highest level in nearly 90 years, averaging 18%. This increase in import costs raises questions about the financial burden on American households and the broader economic implications.