Business

‘Making America Unemployed Again’: Critics Slam Trump as P&G Plans 7,000 Layoffs

By Jake Beardslee · June 6, 2025

At a Deutsche Bank conference in Paris on Thursday, Procter & Gamble Chief Financial Officer Andre Schulten revealed that the consumer goods giant will lay off up to 7,000 employees over the next two years. According to the Associated Press, the cuts represent about 6% of the company’s global workforce and are being driven by “tariff-related costs and customers who have grown anxious about the economy.”

The announcement has sparked intense backlash online, especially on the platform X (formerly Twitter), with many users pointing fingers at President Donald Trump’s economic policies.

Physician Geoffrey Grammer criticized Trump’s approach, writing on X, “‘Pampers diaper maker will slash 7,000 jobs as tariffs fuel uncertainty’ — CNN. Doesn’t sound like winning to me. Sounds like job losses because of a stupid economic strategy. Trump does not know what he is doing.”

Political scientist Joel Montfort echoed the sentiment, writing: “P & G will cut 7,000 jobs globally over the next two years amid uncertainty caused by President Trump’s trade war. Making America Unemployed Again.”

Others, including investor Neer Varshney, noted that Wall Street appeared unmoved, with Procter & Gamble shares rising just 0.3% after the news broke.

Founded in 1837, P&G has a long history of influence in American households and pop culture, from producing staples like Tide and Pampers to shaping television with soap operas like As the World Turns. Now, amid shifting economic tides, the company’s restructuring is becoming a flashpoint in debates over Trump’s trade strategy.