President Donald Trump personally called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos this week, reacting to reports that Amazon considered detailing the cost of his new import tariffs for customers. According to Punchbowl News, Amazon explored itemizing the impact of Trump’s sweeping duties—up to 145% on Chinese imports—on individual products sold via its low-cost Amazon Haul site. Amazon quickly denied any intention to display those amazon tariff prices on its main Amazon.com platform.
Amazon Tariffs Debate Unfolds at the White House
At his 100-day press conference, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed the report as a “hostile and political act by Amazon,” arguing it gave yet another reason to “buy American.” She added, “Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt’s remarks underline the administration’s defense of Trump’s new amazon tariffs, which aim to boost domestic manufacturing and swell federal coffers, despite warnings of higher consumer prices and recession risks.
When asked about his conversation with Bezos, Trump praised the Amazon founder for his swift response: “Jeff Bezos was very nice. He solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing. He’s a good guy,” the president said.
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Amazon’s Response and Internal Deliberations
Sources familiar with Amazon’s internal discussions reveal that the idea to itemize amazon tariff prices was prompted by the elimination of the $800 de minimis exemption for U.S.-bound Chinese shipments. With roughly half of U.S. Amazon sellers based in China, analysts say duty shocks could reverberate across millions of listings.
- Amazon Haul Consideration: Tim Doyle, an Amazon spokesperson, confirmed the team running the ultra-low-cost Haul store “considered listing import charges on certain products,” but “this was never approved and is not going to happen.”
- Main Platform Unaffected: Doyle stressed that no changes were ever contemplated for Amazon’s primary marketplace, preserving the standard “all-in” price presentation customers expect.
Meanwhile, rival platforms Shein and Temu have already begun passing 145% “import charges” onto consumers. Reflecting the new amazon tariff cost report reality for goods shipping directly from Chinese factories.
Trump’s Tariff Strategy and Market Ripples
Since re-entering office in January, Trump has championed higher amazon tariffs as a means to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing. And increase federal revenue. Even after rolling back some initial proposals, his administration’s measures have:
- Slashed U.S. trade volumes with key partners,
- Sparked fears of supply shortages—from baby prams to umbrellas. Where China dominates production,
- Raised inflationary concerns, feeding into broader recession anxieties.
Analysts warn that as tariffs bite, consumers may face widespread price hikes. While businesses grapple with disrupted supply chains.
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Bezos, Trump, and a Complex Relationship
Despite public skirmishes—Trump’s frequent barbs at Amazon and the Washington Post. And Bezos’s 2016 critique of Trump’s rhetoric. Both men have occasionally found common ground. Bezos donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration and praised deregulation efforts. Yet Amazon’s 2019 lawsuit against the Pentagon laid bare tensions over a $10 billion cloud contract allegedly derailed by presidential influence.
Their dynamic—equal parts cooperation and conflict—came into sharp relief this week. As amazon news today focuses on trade policy fallout, the Bezos-Trump phone call stands as a testament to Amazon’s immense commercial clout and the administration’s sensitivity to its consumer messaging.
📢 Stay with TNN for more on how amazon tariffs are reshaping online shopping, the latest from Amazon’s boardroom to the White House briefing room. And in-depth coverage of U.S. trade policy and Amazon stock movements. 🚨
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