Walmart heiress takes out full-page New York Times ad, tells people to 'show up' at town halls

Christy Walton, the 76-year-old heiress to the Walmart fortune, placed a full-page advertisement in The New York Times urging Americans to attend town halls a anti-Trump and anti-Elon Musk protests have been popping up across the country at different town halls.

The ad, featuring an image of the Statue of Liberty, included a series of calls to action such as: “We honor our commitments and stand by our allies,” “We defend against aggression and dictators,” and “We respect our neighbors and trading partners.”

“The honor, dignity and integrity of our country is not for sale. Show up, attend your town halls, be civil,” the ad concluded. There have been several town hall protests happening as of late, some being fueled by left-wing activist groups in response to Trump as well as Musk's work with the Department of Government Efficiency. 

A source familiar with Walton told Bloomberg that the ad was intended as a nonpartisan message promoting civic engagement. However, many have seen it as backlash against President Donald Trump, particularly given his stance on tariffs against China, Canada, and Mexico.

The Walmart heiress has donated to a number of left-wing causes. She contributed $50,000 to the Lincoln Project, a political action committee formed to oppose Trump, and $150,000 to a group supporting Senate Democrats.

Additionally, she co-hosted a fundraiser for Vice President Kamala Harris during her presidential campaign, with ticket prices ranging from $1,250 to $100,000. This came after she signed a letter urging President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.

Walton’s net worth is estimated to be $16.9 billion, which she obtained after marrying John Walton. John is the son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Following a plane crash in 2005 that resulted in John’s death, his widow was left with a portion of his shares of the company.