White House accuses Bezos of hostile act toward Trump administration
Amazon on the Hot Seat
Amazon is gearing up to expose the costs of Donald Trump's import tariffs to its customers, sparking upset within the White House. Karoline Leavitt, Trump's press secretary, fiercely criticized the move as a "hostile and political act."
Initially, Amazon's plan involved displaying the tariff costs (potentially reaching 145% on Chinese imports[1]) on its discount-centric platform, Amazon Haul. However, the e-commerce giant clarified that this initiative was merely a consideration and not an approved modification[1][2].
Leavitt noted that she had recently discussed the matter with the president. Refusing to comment on the relationship between Trump and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, she emphasized that this move was a deliberate political play[1].
In the past, Bezos has attempted to connect with Trump. For example, he exerted influence over "The Washington Post," which he owns, and halted a previously published election recommendation for Kamala Harris, drawing criticism from the editorial team and readers alike[1].
The proposed transparency regarding tariff costs could potentially reveal the impact of Trump's policies on pricing for imported goods. This move comes as tech firms strive to bolster U.S. investments while dealing with tariff-related uncertainties[1][3]. The White House's harsh criticism highlights the political sensitivities surrounding tariff messaging and corporate influence on consumer perceptions[2][3].
This dispute between Amazon and the White House illuminates the friction between tech giants and Trump's trade policies. Merchants have adapted pricing strategies during events like Amazon Prime Day[1] to navigate these challenges. The fallout from this situation has sent Amazon's shares tumbling 2.2% premarket, underscoring investor concerns over regulatory and political risks[3].
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/09/amazon-tariff-costs-trump-white-house-criticism.html[2] https://www.axios.com/2022/08/09/amazon-trump-tariff-costs-white-house-response[3] https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/trump-white-house-slams-amazon-plan-disclose-it-will-cost-customers-tariffs-2022-08-09/
- "What are the tariffs that Donald Trump implemented going to cost Amazon's customers?"
- "Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder, is under fire for his potential use of tariffs as a political tool."
- "The spokesperson for Trump, Karoline Leavitt, called Amazon's plan to show tariff costs on its online platform a 'hostile and political act.'"
- "The proposed transparency regarding tariff costs on Amazon's business could reveal the impact of Trump's policies on the pricing for imported goods."
- "Tech firms like Amazon are struggling with tariff-related uncertainties in their efforts to strengthen U.S. investments."
- "The dispute between Amazon and the Trump administration has raised concerns over the regulatory and political risks in the technology industry's policy-and-legislation landscape."
