White House calls Amazon ‘hostile’ after report says it will label tariff price hikes
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has called Amazon “hostile” after reports suggest the company will display tariff price hikes next to product prices.
- The move comes as Trump’s tariffs are affecting retailers globally, with many Amazon sellers raising their prices or opting out of Prime Day events.
- Low-cost retailers like Shein and Temu have also announced price increases in response to the levies.
- A report from Punchbowl News stated that Amazon will display the added fees right next to a product’s price, sparking concerns about the company’s motives.
- The White House has previously accused Amazon of being partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm, which Leavitt cited as evidence of the company’s “hostile” behavior.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Amazon “hostile” based on a rumor that its site will adjust to show how tariffs affect the total cost of a product. The statement comes just hours after a report from Punchbowl News suggested that the ecommerce giant will display the added fees right next to a product’s price.
“This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” Leavitt said during a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s not a surprise, because as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon is partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.”
The Verge reached out to Amazon with a request for comment but didn’t immediately hear back.
Trump’s sweeping tariffs are affecting retailers across the globe, with many Amazon sellers raising their prices or deciding not to participate in Prime Day, as reported by CNBC and Reuters. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Volkswagen told dealers it planned to add an “import fee” to the stickers on its cars affected by tariffs.
Low-cost retailers like Shein and Temu have also announced that they are raising their prices in response to the levies.