Amazon tariff plan sparked White House anger
A private phone call was made by President Donald Trump to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on Tuesday morning. He was upset over reports that Amazon considered plans to display tariff costs on product listings.
White House officials said Trump was “p*ssed” after learning Amazon may show pricing breakdowns that included import tariffs. The change, reported by Punchbowl News, would have revealed how much of a product’s cost comes from Trump’s steep tariff policies.
Amazon’s display tariff plan wasn’t finalized
An Amazon spokesperson told CNN that there were no active plans to implement tariff pricing on the main site. However, Amazon had internally discussed showing such costs on its discount platform Haul, which features items under $20. However, the company said it never approved the idea and has no plans to move forward with it.
Still, Trump’s team saw the suggestion as a direct political challenge.
White House calls it a “hostile act”
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called the idea to display tariff costs a “hostile and political act.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick echoed her tone, saying the display would falsely blame tariffs for rising pricing.
“A 10% tariff isn’t enough to change most prices,” Lutnick said in a CNBC interview. “Unless it’s something we don’t make here, like mangoes.”
Other platforms are showing tariffs
Unlike Amazon, Temu and Shein have already started displaying tariffs or added import charges at checkout. Both source heavily from China, and Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese imports are hitting them hard.
Temu now breaks down tariff-related costs for consumers before purchase, aiming for transparency.
Bezos and Trump’s awkward alliance
Though Bezos and Trump have often clashed in the past, their relationship has thawed. Bezos donated $1 million to Trump’s second inaugural fund and is producing a documentary about Melania Trump. Trump recently praised him in The Atlantic, saying, “He’s 100 percent. He’s been great.”
Still, tension remains. Bezos’ net worth has dropped by $30 billion this year, partly due to Trump’s tariff policies and stock market dips.
Senate Democrats support showing tariffs
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer supported the move by retailers to show tariffs directly to consumers.
“People deserve to know how much tariffs are hurting their pocketbook,” he said on the Senate floor. “To the large businesses, I say: display tariff costs openly.”
Source: CNN
