White House Slams Amazon as Jeff Bezos Reverses Decision on Tariff Costs Display
Amazon won't display tariff charges on its site following President Trump's intervention, despite previous plans prompting criticism from White House.
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Overview
The White House criticized Amazon's alleged intent to display tariff costs, labeling it a political attack. However, Jeff Bezos confirmed they won't show such costs after Trump intervened. The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, condemned Bezos, asserting Amazon's actions represented a hostile political act. She questioned their transparency about price changes since Biden’s administration. Amazon clarified that only preliminary discussions about showing tariff charges occurred, specifically for the Haul sub-store, but this was never approved. Amid escalating tensions, retailers like Temu and Shein face rising tariffs, deepening the friction between the tech giant and the administration.
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Analysis
- Amazon has denied plans to implement a display of tariff costs on its main site, clarifying that the report indicating otherwise was inaccurate and unapproved, despite criticism suggesting transparency would be a political act.
- The White House criticized Amazon's proposal, labeling it a 'hostile and political act', reflecting a growing tension between Donald Trump and the company despite previous cooperation, with Trump reportedly expressing his displeasure directly to Bezos.
- The broader implications of Trump's tariff policy are under scrutiny, with mixed sentiments from the business community about its impact on prices and American consumers, as well as concerns about corporate responsibility in relaying costs to customers.
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FAQ
The Trump administration has implemented aggressive tariffs, including 145% on Chinese imports, which particularly affect Amazon since 60% of its sales come from third-party sellers reliant on imported goods. Other retailers like Temu and Shein also face rising tariff pressures.
No, Amazon clarified that while its budget-focused Haul sub-store considered showing import fees on select items, the idea was never approved for the main site and is not being implemented.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Amazon’s reported tariff display plan a 'hostile and political act,' accusing the company of selectively highlighting tariff impacts under Trump while ignoring inflation under Biden.
The dispute reflects wider corporate resistance to Trump’s trade policies, with CEOs of Walmart, Target, and Home Depot also warning about supply chain disruptions and price hikes from tariffs.
Higher tariffs strain Amazon’s pricing competitiveness, particularly for its Haul service aimed at rivaling low-cost platforms like Temu and Shein, which themselves face rising import costs.
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