Activists and customers on the right attacked Target on social media for its LGBTQ-themed merchandise during Pride Month. Target employees faced threats. Misinformation spread on social media that the swimsuits designed for transgender people were marketed to children, which they were not. The company removed them from stores.

Michael Fiddelke, Target's current chief operating officer, will succeed Brian Cornell as chief executive officer, the company said in a release. Cornell, who has served as the company's CEO since 2014, will step down and Fiddelke will take over the role on Feb. 1, 2026.

Michael Fiddelke, Target's current chief operating officer, will replace CEO Brian Cornell on Feb. 1 as the retailer works on its turnaround strategy.

Michael Fiddelke, Target's next CEO, started at the company as an intern and worked his way up — getting promoted or changing jobs roughly every two years.

“The stock price reflects that there won’t be change when change is needed,” Gerald Storch, former vice chairman of Target and ex-CEO of Toys R Us, told The Post. “The sales are negative and they are bleeding market share.” Target did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Target also imports about half of its merchandise, compared to roughly 33% at Walmart, so it needs to raise prices at almost double the rate of Walmart to mitigate the tariff impact, Bank of America analyst Robert Ohmes said in a report this week.

It didn’t have to be this way. At the start of his tenure, Cornell, who the company announced yesterday will step down as CEO on February 1, was an outsider unafraid to move fast and break things. He had been CEO of a big PepsiCo unit, Michaels Stores, and Sam’s Club before that.