Trump Complained to Bezos Before Amazon Scrapped Plan to Display Tariff Costs

President Donald Trump personally called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on Tuesday to complain about a report that the online retail giant was considering displaying U.S. tariff costs alongside product listings, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Shortly after the call, Amazon publicly downplayed the scope of its plan — and later announced it had been scrapped entirely.

The pressure on Bezos came after Punchbowl News reported that Amazon planned to show how much of an item’s cost was due to tariffs, displaying the surcharge next to the total price.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt responded sharply, calling Amazon’s move “a hostile and political act” during a press briefing.

"Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?" Leavitt asked, adding, "This is another reason why Americans should buy American."

During the briefing, Leavitt held up a news article about Bezos as she addressed reporters, marking President Trump’s first 100 days of his second term.

Following the White House’s reaction, Amazon shares briefly fell more than 2% in premarket trading but recovered by midday.

Less than two hours after the press conference, an Amazon spokesperson clarified that listing tariff charges had only been under consideration for Amazon Haul, the company's budget-focused shopping section — not its main retail platform.

In a follow-up statement, Amazon confirmed that the idea was "never approved" and would "not happen."

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick praised Amazon's clarification, calling it a "good move" in a post on X.

During the briefing, a journalist asked whether Amazon’s plan underscored that it is American consumers, not China, who are bearing the cost of tariffs. Leavitt responded by highlighting concerns about Amazon’s past compliance with Chinese government requests, citing a Reuters report from 2021 about Amazon removing reviews critical of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Other retailers have also reacted to new tariffs by adjusting pricing. China-based fashion platforms Shein and Temu, for example, have recently added substantial surcharges, with Temu displaying an “import charge” of roughly 145% at checkout.

The Trump administration’s confrontation with Amazon comes as Bezos has notably warmed to Trump since the 2024 election.

After years of tension, Bezos expressed optimism in December about Trump’s second term, suggesting the president had grown calmer and more confident. Amazon later contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, and Bezos personally attended the inauguration.

Further fueling speculation of a closer relationship, Bezos directed The Washington Post, which he owns, to narrow its editorial focus to themes of “personal liberties and free markets.”

However, Amazon’s operations have been under increasing strain due to Trump's aggressive tariff policies, particularly a 145% duty on goods from China, where an estimated 70% of Amazon's inventory is sourced, according to Wedbush Securities.

As merchants raised prices to offset new costs, Amazon began surveying its sellers to assess the impact of Trump's tariffs.

When asked whether Bezos remains a Trump supporter, Leavitt declined to comment on the president’s relationship with the Amazon founder but reiterated, “this is certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon.”