Jeff Bezos drew the ire of the White House for his company Amazon’s “hostile and political” action. The Trump administration’s response comes on the heels of Amazon’s reported decision to demonstrate how much the US President’s tariffs would increase the price of imported goods.
As reported by Punchbowl News on Tuesday, the online giant has decided to display on its website how much Trump’s tariffs will increase the price of products due to consumers’ growing concerns about the effect of tariffs on prices.
Trump, a new friend of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is angry about Amazon’s action even if it would inform consumers where the fees are coming from.
White House Labels Amazon’s Move ‘Hostile and Political’
Following their meeting with Trump, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Tuesday morning that Amazon was making a “hostile and political move.”.
“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” she asked.
Jeff Bezos and White House Tensions Resurface
White House rips into Jeff Bezos, says it’s not surprised moving further, Leavitt asserted that the news was “not a surprise” for them. She cited a Reuters article from December 2021 that claimed Amazon “partnered with a China propaganda arm,” calling it “recently reported.”
“So this is another reason why Americans should buy American,” she continued.
Amazon asserted it followed all legal regulations in those countries where it does business, such as China, during the time of this reporting.
Jeff Bezos and Trump Ties Strained Over Tariff Move
Bezos was showing some warm-ups to Trump as he had already won the presidency in November. He contributed $1 million toward his inaugural committee and witnessed the inauguration of Trump. The U.S President also praised Bezos and other wealthy friend billionaires this week by terming them as “have been great.”
But it appears their relationship may have soured as a consequence of Amazon’s push to be transparent on pricing in reaction to Trump’s extremely unpopular tariffs.
The White House Press Secretary refrained from commenting on Bezos’s present relationship with Trump.
Online Reactions Question Administration’s Stance
Meanwhile, netizens reacted to WH’s statement against Amazon, with one X user asking: “Why shouldn’t they be transparent about showing the tariffs? It’ll help Americans buy American. Right, MAGA?”
“Sure, transparency is “hostile and political”. I thought this administration prides itself on its transparency. Apparently, that’s only true when positive things are said about trump and his policies,” another wrote, bashing Trump government.
