Jeff Bezos and Amazon were at the center of a new clash with the White House on Tuesday, after contemplating the possibility of reflecting the impact of tariffs on the prices of products sold on their platform.
The news, initially reported by Punchbowl News, prompted an immediate reaction from President Donald Trump, who, visibly upset, personally called Bezos to express his dissatisfaction, as confirmed to CNN by two high-ranking officials.
The initiative would have revealed to consumers the impact of tariffs—of up to 145% on Chinese products—on the final price of goods, amidst rising trade tensions driven by the Trump administration.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, described the proposal as a "hostile and political act" at a later press conference.
Amazon, however, clarified that the idea was never approved or implemented. A spokesperson indicated that the measure was only considered for Amazon Haul, its low-cost product site, and was ultimately discarded. "This was never approved and it is not going to happen," the company assured in statements to CNN.
The controversy erupted in a context of increasing pressures on e-commerce platforms. Companies like Temu and Shein have already implemented adjustments to their prices due to the new tariffs, highlighting how trade tensions are impacting global retail.
Meanwhile, Amazon's (AMZN) shares experienced a decline of nearly 1% in the early hours of Tuesday.
Since the beginning of the year, Bezos's personal fortune has decreased by approximately 30 billion dollars, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, affected by market volatility and U.S. trade policies.
Although Trump has publicly praised Bezos in recent weeks, the controversy highlights the complex relationship between the two magnates in the current American political and economic climate.
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