A number of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters are vowing to boycott Costco over the retailer’s decision to sue the former president and seek reimbursement for tariffs it paid this year. MAGA influencers took to social media to denounce the company, claiming Costco had aligned itself against Trump and his policies. Jondavid “JD” Longo, the Republican mayor of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, urged followers to abandon the brand, writing: “BYE BYE COSTCO. After doubling down on nonsensical DEI and social justice practices, Costco is suing the Trump administration for full refunds of President Trump’s tariffs.”
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He added: “If you didn’t have a reason to sell your Costco stock and cancel your memberships before… you do now. Refuse to fund their attack on what the people voted for!”
Longo’s reference to “DEI” stems from a dispute in January, when Costco declined to comply with pressure from the Trump administration and its allies — including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton — to abandon its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
At the time, calls for a boycott briefly circulated among MAGA supporters but faded amid the upheaval of Trump’s first days back in office.
One X user, identifying as a “Trumplican,” claimed earlier this year to have cancelled their Costco membership over the DEI issue. On Tuesday, they again announced they had cancelled their membership — nearly 11 months later — prompting a community note highlighting the inconsistency. Dozens of other Trump supporters voiced their anger online this week, criticising the country’s third-largest retailer by revenue. The account “TrumpFlorida” wrote: “Costco is actually SUING President Trump and demanding tariff refunds. Yes — the same Costco is now trying to claw back money from the man fighting to bring U.S. manufacturing back. Absolutely pathetic.” The page encouraged its nearly 5,000 followers to shop at Walmart instead.
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Another user asked: “Why does @Costco buy so much Chinese rubbish in the first place? About one-third of Americans have a Costco membership. Hope they remember how it turned out with Bud Light or Cracker Barrel?”
Trump’s tariff measures — implemented through executive powers rather than legislation — have faced multiple legal challenges. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on their legality, and Costco’s lawsuit ensures the company will be reimbursed if the tariffs are overturned.
Several blue-state governments and companies, including Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing, have brought similar claims, though none have drawn the same level of attention as Costco.
The retailer, famous for keeping its hot dog and soft drink deal at $1.50 since 1976, maintains it has worked to avoid passing tariff-related costs on to customers. “We continue to work closely with our suppliers to find ways to mitigate the impact of tariffs, including moving the country of production where it makes sense,” Chief Financial Officer Gary Millerchip said in September. The White House has yet to comment on the dispute.
