UPDATED, with Amazon comment: The White House slammed Amazon for what it called “a hostile and political act,” after a report that the retail giant reportedly plans to display the cost of tariffs next to the price of each product.
But a couple of hours after Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt‘s remarks, an Amazon spokesperson, Tim Doyle, said that such a plan will not be implemented.
“The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” Doyle said in a statement. “This was never approved and is not going to happen.”
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Leavitt’s harsh words about the company signaled a new fissure in the relationship between Donald Trump and Amazon, despite efforts by the company’s founder, Jeff Bezos, to smooth things over with the president in his second term.
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At a press briefing this morning, Leavitt, who said that she had just spoken to Trump, said, “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” She also said that “as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.” In fact, the report she cited is from 2021.
“This is another reason why Americans should buy American,” she said.
Punchbowl News first reported on Amazon’s plans to disclose the tariff costs.
The White House attack on Amazon is just the latest indication of how much Trump is determined to pressure the actions of private businesses. Many business leaders oppose Trump’s tariffs, even though they supported him.
Leavitt declined to address Trump’s relationship with Bezos.
Bezos attended Trump’s inauguration, along with other big tech CEOs, and offered words of praise after his election victory. Bezos also has made a series of changes to The Washington Post, which he owns, including revamping the opinion section so the focus would be on personal liberties and free markets.