Recommendations of the Editorial team
The white house was not delighted. It was reported on Tuesday that the retail giant Amazon the tariff -related Cost increases in addition to the product prices on its website. The decision was called “enemy and political act of Amazon”.
Amazon plans customs information on product pages – and ensures political turmoil
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos maintains a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump maintains. The group largely denied the report on Tuesday. “The team, which runs our ultra -bearing Amazon Haul Store, considered the idea of raising import fees on certain products. This has never been approved. And will not happen,” said the company in an explanation according to CNN.
Amazon denies: “No plans for display on the main page”
Punchbowl news reported that Amazon, which moves hundreds of billions of billions in retail volume worldwide, planned to display a note in addition to the product prices. This informs about whether and how much the article based on the global introduced by Trump Tariff has become more expensive.
Temu already raises import fees
Amazon is not the only retailer who wants to make sure that he does not blame – both financially and publicly – for the consequences of the president’s economic policy. The Chinese retailer Temu has started Import fees to be raised on goods that in some cases double the price of the articles for American consumers.
White house reacts indignantly: “Why not among bidges?”
The original Punchbowl report contained only a few details. And as the white press spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt During a press briefing afterwards was askedshe put her guest – Finance Minister Scott Bessent – practically aside to answer. “This is an enemy and political act of Amazon,” said Leavitt. “Why didn’t Amazon do that when the bidet government has raised inflation to the highest level for 40 years?”
Leavitt continued to accuse Amazon of “recently … working with a Chinese propaganda arm”. She quoted an incident from 2021in which the company prevented customers from leaving reviews for a book written by the Chinese President Xi Jinping. And had teamed up with the Chinese government to create a “China Books” section for her website. “This is another reason why Americans should buy American. Another reason why we shift critical supply chains abroad.” added Leavitt.
The X-account of the White House divided also an article About Bezos and XI From 2021that was apparently intended as a defamation attempt.
Trump vs. Bezos: Does the relationship break?
The president himself was also upset about the report. According to sources in the White House, the with CNN Languages, Trump called up shortly after the Punchbowl Report Bezos became known to confront him with history. “Of course he was angry,” an official told CNN. “Why should a multi-billion dollar company pass on the costs to consumers?”
A reporter asked Leavitt whether the news meant that Bezos was “no longer a Trump supporter”. Leavitt replied that she would “not comment on the relationship”. But that Amazon’s decision is “certainly an enemy and political strategy of Amazon”.
Bessent added that the lowering of inflation was still a priority for the government. And that in the coming months they are expecting a further decline – and not with an increase – consumer prices.
Will the customs break have an impact?
Despite the Besset’s defense of Trump’s tariffs and praise for the alleged negotiating skills of the President, no trade agreements have yet been announced. In fact, China reported reports last week that the United States is negotiating about a customs agreement energetically deniedand the days until the end of Trump’s 90-day customs break.
Shortly after the press conference, a spokesman for Amazon explained opposite The Washington Postthat the price announcement was never planned for normal retail, but that “the team, which operates our extremely cheap Amazon Haul Store, was considering listing import fees for certain products”.
“This was never a consideration for the Amazon main page and nothing was implemented on other Amazon pages,” said the spokesman.