A report said Amazon planned to display tariff costs next to prices. The White House called it ‘hostile.’ Now the e-commerce giant says it’s not happening.
Reports said Amazon intended to show how Trump's tariffs will raise product costs. The White House bashed the move. Now Amazon says that was never the real plan.
Just how much will the new tariffs impact the price of the countertop icemaker, portable phone charger, kitchen gadget, or wacky home improvement tool your aunt found online? Amazon wants you to know. Or — following a feisty news conference — maybe not. A Tuesday spat between the everything store and the White House has consumers confused about the fate of Prime Day.
Reports said Amazon intended to show how President Donald Trump’s tariffs would raise product costs. According to Punchbowl, the e-commerce giant would display how much of the cost comes from tariffs next to the total price.
And the president apparently let Amazon founder Jeff Bezos CEO know he was displeased in a Tuesday phone call.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called the move a “hostile and political act by Amazon” Tuesday morning. “It’s another reason why consumers should buy American,” she told reporters.
Behind the scenes, CNN reported, Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to complain about the news, according to two senior White House officials. Trump commented on their call to reporters Tuesday afternoon, calling Bezos “very nice.”
Within hours, Amazon released a statement saying the reports were not painting the full picture.
According to the Washington Post, a spokesperson said the price disclosures were not under consideration for Amazon’s main website, but rather for Amazon Haul, a sector that focuses on products typically less than $20. The dedicated webpage is described as a competitor of other budget-friendly retailers, like Temu and Shein — two China-based fast-fashion giants that announced price hikes for U.S. consumers as a result of the tariffs.
As of publication time, Temu’s website shows an “import charge,” adding a 145% tax per item.
“The team that runs our ultra-low-cost Amazon Haul store has considered listing import charges on certain products,” an Amazon spokesperson told the Washington Post. “This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties.”
The confusion comes on the heels of recently reported plans for merchants selling China-made goods on Amazon to pull back from participating in Prime Day — the company’s signature annual sale — in light of the new, steep tariffs put in place by Trump on Chinese goods. According to Reuters, several merchants will sit out July’s sale or reduce the amount of discounted merch they will offer.
Trump’s China tariffs, which stand at 145%, went into effect April 9.
In the weeks since the tariffs were implemented, several retailers have made statements regarding how the hikes would affect their prices and policies.
» READ MORE: Shein and Temu to raise prices in response to Trump closing tariff loophole
During the news briefing Tuesday, Leavitt also accused Amazon of working with a “Chinese propaganda arm,” apparently referencing a three-year-old Reuters article detailing a partnership where Amazon worked with the Chinese government to block reviews on books by its leader, Xi Jinping, and launched an e-book store with texts that align with the Communist Party’s views.
The press secretary’s response stirred rumors that a rift was forming between Trump and Bezos. Bezos, along with other billionaires and tech leaders, showed support for Trump when he won the 2024 election, as noted by CNBC. He often visits the West Wing while in Washington to meet with Trump.
“I will not speak to the president’s relationships with Jeff Bezos,” Leavitt said when asked if Bezos was still a supporter. “But I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon.”
Shortly after her comments, Amazon released its statement emphasizing that its plans were being misconstrued.
“This was never approved and not going to happen,” Amazon said.
Trump summarized his call for reporters Tuesday afternoon: “[Bezos] solved the problem very quickly. He did the right thing and he’s a good guy."