Donald Trump has declared war on billionaire Jeff Bezos after the White House accused Amazon of a “hostile and political act”.
The e-commerce giant has announced it will include the cost of the president’s tariffs on the price of the products it sells. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the move as “a hostile and political act by Amazon,” adding that she had spoken directly with the president about the decision. The retailer’s new policy will show American consumers the cost impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs on goods imported from countries such as China. Leavitt accused Amazon of acting out of partisan intent and questioned the timing of the announcement.
“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” she said. Leavitt further alleged the company is aiding foreign influence, stating: “It’s not a surprise because, as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm. So this is another reason why Americans should buy American.”
She referenced a December 2021 report detailing a partnership which included removing user reviews for certain Chinese-published books. The article also noted that former Obama press secretary Jay Carney, then Amazon’s head of global policy, met with Beijing officials to discuss the platform’s operations in China.
The president’s reaction comes amid intensifying scrutiny over his aggressive trade stance.
Trump argues that new tariffs will help revive US industry and manufacturing, but economists warn of financial consequences for consumers. A recent analysis by the Budget Lab at Yale University estimated that households could face up to £3,300 in additional annual costs due to retaliatory tariffs from China and higher prices on imported goods.
The White House said it is continuing to tweak tariff policy while pushing Beijing toward broader trade negotiations.
Trump’s tariffs also target fast-growing Chinese e-commerce platforms Temu and Shein by closing a longstanding trade loophole that allowed duty-free entry of packages under £600.
The new restrictions have already sparked price increases on popular low-cost goods sold in the States. Politically, the fallout may be growing. Trump’s approval rating continues to slip, while support has also fallen.
The shift in voter fears threatens to undercut one of the president’s key economic promises to restore prosperity while protecting American industry.
Bezos has recently been hit by a wave of criticism over his perceived warming to Trump. Amazon donated to the president’s inaugural ball while the billionaire’s paper, The Washington Post, stopped endorsing Trump’s rival Kamala Harris.
The papers saw a tidal wave of cancellations from digital subscribers and a series of resignations from columnists as they grappled with the fallout from the decision to block the endorsement.
More than 200,000 people cancelled their digital subscriptions.
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