The White House is furious with Amazon over a potential plan to display tariff costs next to product prices on its website. Trump’s press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, called the move “hostile and political,” referencing a 2021 report that Amazon partnered with China’s propaganda arm. This isn’t the first time Amazon and the Trump administration have clashed, given their past disagreements over The Washington Post’s editorial stance.
Key Players and Their Roles:
Donald Trump: The US President who’s made tariffs a central part of his economic policy, slapping high rates on goods from countries like China.
Jeff Bezos: Amazon’s founder, who donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund and attended the event. Bezos has also been involved in controversy over The Washington Post’s editorial decisions.
Karoline Leavitt: Trump’s press secretary, who expressed the administration’s discontent with Amazon’s potential plan.
The Tariff Dispute:
Trump’s administration has imposed significant tariffs on imported goods, particularly from China, with rates reaching up to 245%.
Companies like Amazon would have to absorb these costs or pass them on to consumers.
Displaying tariff costs next to product prices would make the impact of these tariffs more transparent to shoppers.
Amazon’s Response:
The company denied plans to display tariff costs, stating that “this was never approved and is not going to happen.”
Trump seemed pleased with Amazon’s decision, calling Bezos a “good guy” who “solved the problem very quickly” ¹.
