“This is an enemy and political act on the part of Amazon” – said the spokeswoman for the White House, Karoline Leavitt. “Why did Amazon not do this when Biden's administration led inflation to the highest level in 40 years? This is another reason why Americans should buy American products,” she added.
Amazon withdraws from the idea
It was not necessary to wait long for the technological giant's response.
Amazon spokesman in an interview with CNBC stated that The company only considered showing customs fees with some products available as part of the Amazon Haul budget section.
“The team responsible for our low -cost department Amazon Haul thought about placing information about import fees with selected products” – explained the spokesman. “Such a solution has never been considered for the main page of Amazon and nothing similar has been implemented in any of our services,” he added.
In the next announcement Amazon clarified that the idea “has never been approved” and “will not be implemented”.
The Secretary of Trade Howard Lutnick wrote on the website X that Amazon's withdrawal is a “good decision.”
- “Digital tax is an obstacle to the EU negotiations.” Bessent turned to Europe
Amazon wanted to reveal the cost of customs
The reaction of the White House was a response to Tuesday's Punchbowl News report, according to which Amazon planned to show consumers what part of the price of a given product are duties.
During the press briefing, the journalist asked Leavitt and the Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, whether this is not proof that he was an American consumer, not China, ultimately pays for the customs policy. Leavitt took the floor, explaining that “she was just talking to the president about Amazon's statement.”
She also added that Amazon's decision “is not a surprise”, reminding that, as Reuters wrote, the company “cooperated with the Chinese propaganda arm.” She showed the printout of the article of December 2021, which stated that Amazon deleted reviews and evaluation of books with the speeches of XI Jinping – as requested by the authorities in Beijing.
- Donald Trump's duties stimulated imports. Record minus in the foreign trade of the USA
Shein and they add fees
Amazon is not the only company that includes new duties in a visible way. The Chinese giants of the Fast Fashion, Shein industry and this have started to add significant fees in recent days. In the case of this, information about the “import fee” appeared on the payment page, which can reach up to 145 percent. product value.
As CNBC writes, the reaction of the White House may indicate the tensions between Trump and Jeff Bezos, who after Trump's victory in the 2024 election tried to establish a closer relationship with the Republican president.
