Donald Trump reportedly called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to voice his displeasure following reports that the company was considering displaying the added cost of tariffs on certain items.
Punchbowl news reported early Tuesday that Amazon will soon “display how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs — right next to the product’s total listed price.”
The report added that “Amazon doesn’t want to shoulder the blame for the cost of” Trump’s trade war and will therefore “show how much Trump’s tariffs are adding to the price of each product, according to a person familiar with the plan.”
Sources told CNN that Trump called Bezos to complain about the move shortly after a senior aide told him about the report.
“Of course he was pissed,” the official said. “Why should a multibillion dollar company pass off costs to consumers?”
Later at a press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the move by Amazon is a “hostile and political act,” adding that she had spoken with Trump earlier about the matter.
Amid pushback from the White House, Amazon caved.
“The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said in a statement. “This was never approved and is not going to happen.”
