Tensions between the White House and Amazon reach a peak, with President Trump publicly acknowledging Jeff Bezos as 'quite amiable'.
Revised Article:
Title: The Trump-Amazon Dance: A Game of Political Business
The 100th day of President Donald Trump's second term saw an unexpected tussle with Amazon. White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, chucked some harsh words at the tech giant during a press briefing, accusing it of pulling a sneaky, politically-charged trick.
The tension ignited following a report by Punchbowl News claiming that Amazon intended to show customers the exact cost of tariff-related price surges on its products. This move would've shed light on the actual costs Americans were paying due to Trump's tariff policies, a point the president and his cronies had often argued China would bear.
However, after the report surfaced, Trump had a chat with Amazon's founder, Jeff Bezos, according to three sources. To the relief of Bezos, Amazon promptly denied the claim, stating that the strategy wasn't going to play out. Strangely enough, Trump was soon showering praise upon Bezos, terming him a good guy.
This rollercoaster of Trump-Bezos relations over a matter of hours seemed to indicate a pattern. The tech tycoon and several other billionaires have bent over backwards to be best pals with the White House. Trump, for his part, has garnered their support by assuring them better business days ahead. But it seemed that even a hint of Bezos prioritizing business over Trump's political interests was enough to spark the White House's ire.
Leavitt's public lashing out at Amazon wasn't subtle. Standing next to Treasury Secretary Bessent, she hinted at a phone call she'd just had with the president about the Punchbowl report. She also questioned why Amazon didn't disclose such price hikes during the Biden era due to inflation.
Leavitt waved around a 2021 article from Reuters with the headline, "Amazon partnered with China propaganda arm." Shortly after, an Amazon spokesperson explained that they had indeed considered a similar strategy on a new section of their site, Amazon Haul, which aims to rival Temu, a Chinese retailer. Temu primarily ships products directly to consumers and has started showing "import charges" following the end of a tariff loophole that exempted low-cost items.
However, Amazon clarified that such a plan was never meant for their main site. Instead, it was just an idea that had been batted around but never made it past the experimental stage. The commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, took to social media to call this good news.
Trump's trade tariffs on Chinese goods have sparked a trade war, even as the administration has backed off broader global levies amid ongoing negotiations with various nations for new trade deals.
Leavitt's attack on Amazon was intriguing considering Bezos' efforts to get on the White House's good side. Amazon contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund, earning seats for Bezos and his bride-to-be at the inauguration.
Shortly before the election, Bezos quashed an editorial endorsing Kamala Harris for president in the newspaper he owns, The Washington Post. More recently, Amazon Prime added multiple seasons of "The Apprentice" to its streaming lineup, and also cut a deal with the Trump family to create a documentary about Melania Trump.
During a talk in December, Bezos explained his change of heart regarding Trump. "I've found him to be less volatile this time around, more stable," said Bezos, expressing hope for reduced regulation under Trump's leadership.
However, when asked if Bezos could still be seen as a Trump supporter, given the latest reports, Leavitt equivocated. "I won't comment on the president's personal relationships with Jeff Bezos," Leavitt said, "but this certainly appears to be a hostile and political action by Amazon."
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Notes:1. ^ en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_and_Amazon2. ^ www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/business/amazon-tariff-fees.html3. ^ www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/02/22/amazon-china-propaganda-arm/4. ^ www.cnbc.com/2021/02/16/amazon-tariffs-arent-going-into-effect-company-says.html
- The unexpected tension between President Donald Trump and Amazon, an online entrepreneurship giant, in the second term of his presidency, was a mix of business and politics.
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Amazon for potentially revealing the impact of tariff-related price surges on its products, a move that could shed light on the true costs Americans paid due to Trump's policy-and-legislation.
- Trump's tariffs on Chinese goods have ignited a trade war, yet the administration has been advocating for new trade deals with various nations.
- Leavitt's hostile comments toward Amazon were intriguing, given that Amazon had contributed money to Trump's inaugural fund and added Trump family content to Amazon Prime.
- Bezos, on the other hand, has been adjusting his stance regarding Trump, expressing hopes for reduced regulation under Trump's leadership despite their previous disagreements.
- In the realm of general-news, reports suggest that Amazon had initially planned to display tariff-related fees on its products, but later retracted the idea after a conversation between Trump and Bezos.
- The dance between Trump and Amazon, two significant players in business and politics, continues to attract attention from reporters, with potential repercussions in the arena of finance and technology.
