- Amazon’s plan to display tariff charges on Amazon Haul was not approved
- Trump reportedly called Bezos to complain about the change
- Karoline Leavitt tied Amazon to a Chinese propaganda arm
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has slated Amazon’s plans to display tariff costs on its import-focused Amazon Haul sub-store, calling it a “hostile and political act.”
According to The Washington Post, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Trump had called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to complain about the reported change.
Amazon has since confirmed that it had “considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” however “this was never approved and is not going to happen.” It’s worth noting that this was also a consideration for Amazon Haul, therefore the main Amazon store would have been unaffected.
Trump administration criticizes Amazon over its handling of tariffs
“He solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing. Good guy,” Trump said. However, while Trump’s issue with Amazon seems to have been settled, that didn’t stop the President’s Press Secretary from tying Amazon to Chinese propaganda. The company “partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm,” she said.
Chinese exports to the US face up to 245% in tariffs, and Amazon Haul competitors like Temu, Shein and AliExpress have started to list tariffs or incorporate them into prices.
As it currently stands, the US plans to remove its de minimis exemption, meaning that packages under $800 coming from China/Hong Kong will also be impacted by tariffs. Smartphones and computers currently remain exempt.
For consumers, Trump’s tariffs have seen companies like Logitech and Nintendo raise prices, while Temu has also started listing Chinese-shipped items as being sold out for US buyers.
Amazon, now headed up by Andy Jassy, and not Jeff Bezos, reported an 11% year-over-year revenue increase last fiscal year. In his shareholder letter, Jassy noted that the US market saw a 10% growth.
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