The White House attacks hard Amazon and accuses “a hostile and political act” / the company of billionaire Bezos wants to display the cost of Trump's taxes in the final price of the products
Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, photo: Annegret Hilse-Sven Simon / AFP / Profimedia Images
Amazon is not the first trader to emphasize how new taxes change its prices, writes NBC News, which suggests that the incident could signal the beginning of a break between Donald Trump and Jeff Bezos.
The White House criticized Amazon on Tuesday, after the information that the trade platform intended to display the cost of customs duties imposed by President Donald Trump next to the total price of the products on his site.
“This is a hostile and political act on the part of Amazon,” the press secretary of the White House, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters.
“Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration has increased inflation at the highest level in the last 40 years?” Leavitt asked.
“This is another reason why Americans should buy American products,” she added.
The actions of the online retail giant founded by Jeff Bezos decreased by more than 2% following statements.
Leavitt talked to Trump about Amazon's intention
The aggressive attack of the Trump administration came in response to an article published by Punchbowl News on Tuesday morning, according to which Amazon will soon show consumers how much of an article comes from customs duties.
The amount added as a result of the taxes will be displayed right next to the total price of each product, a person familiar with this plan told the news site.
During the press briefing on Tuesday, a reporter asked Leavitt and the secretary of Treasury, Scott Besent, if I agree that the Amazon approach is a “very clear demonstration that the American consumer, and not China, will have to pay for these policies.”
Leavitt chose to answer because, she said, “she just spoke on the phone with the president about the Amazon announcement.”
A break between Trump and Bezos?
Amazon is not the first trader to emphasize how new taxes change its prices.
The giants based in China Shein and Temu have added both massive surcharge in recent days. TEMU now includes a message on its payment note that shows an “import fee” that adds about 145% for each article.
Leavitt's response, writes NBC, could signal a break between Trump and Bezos, after the businessman joined other billionaires and leaders in the field of technology to approach the Republican President after his victory in elections.
Amazon donated a million dollars for Trump's inaugural background in December.
Bezos was also accused of trying to court Trump when he forced the Washington Post, which he owns, to control his opinion section to publish only articles in defense of “personal freedoms and free markets.”
