The White House harshly criticized Amazon after reports claimed the retailer might reveal tariff costs on product listings.
Officials called the potential move a “hostile and political act” amid ongoing tensions over trade policy and foreign influence.
Amazon is reportedly considering showing tariff costs on individual product pages
A report from Punchbowl News suggested Amazon was exploring a feature to display how much tariffs add to product prices.
The proposed idea would reveal how former President Donald Trump’s tariffs directly affect the prices consumers pay on the platform. However, Amazon downplayed the story, saying the concept was never intended for its main shopping site.
A spokesperson claimed it was only discussed within a limited segment of the company, not for public launch or implementation.
Amazon stated, “This has never been under consideration for Amazon.com and does not reflect any official product roadmap.”
White House condemns the Move and calls it a politically motivated act
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly rebuked Amazon’s reported plan in a press conference Friday afternoon.
She accused the company of acting with political motives by attempting to undermine Donald Trump’s tariff-based economic policies.
She said: “I just got off the phone with the president about this, about Amazon’s announcement. This is a hostile and political act by Amazon.”
She added, “Why didn’t Amazon do this when Joe Biden drove inflation to its highest level in over 40 years?”
Leavitt claimed the move showed bias and highlighted Amazon’s past cooperation with China’s propaganda apparatus.
She added: “Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm.”
“This is why Americans should buy American,” she said, promoting domestic supply chains and American-made goods.
Trump Administration doubles down on tariff policy despite rising costs
Tariffs remain a cornerstone of Donald Trump’s economic strategy heading into the 2024 election campaign. He has imposed aggressive duties on goods from China, Europe, and Mexico in the name of protecting American industries.
Recently, the U.S. hiked tariffs on certain Chinese goods up to 245 percent, sparking a new round of trade tensions.
These costs hit American importers hardest, who must now pay the U.S. government to bring in affected products.
Naturally, many of these companies pass those costs to consumers, leading to higher prices on everyday goods across the country.
Amazon’s Tariff Transparency Could Make the Impact of Trump’s Trade Policy Clear to Consumers
If Amazon does eventually display tariff costs, the move could dramatically increase public awareness of how tariffs impact pricing.
Consumers would be able to see exactly how much extra they are paying due to the Trump administration’s trade decisions.
Critics argue this would expose the hidden costs of Trump’s protectionist economic approach and fuel political backlash. Supporters, however, believe transparency could encourage buyers to support American-made alternatives instead of Chinese imports.
The move would also add pressure on businesses and lawmakers to reconsider tariffs’ long-term effectiveness and fairness.
The tension between Amazon and Donald Trump is far from new, and this dispute adds to their long history of clashes.
CEO Jeff Bezos donated $1 million to Trump’s 2017 inauguration but faced ongoing criticism from the president afterward.
Bezos also owns The Washington Post, which Trump frequently labeled as “fake news” throughout his presidency.
Before the 2024 election, The Post announced it would not endorse a candidate—a decision many saw as politically charged. Bezos later stated the decision reflected journalistic principles, not a personal stance against Trump or his policies.