By Andrew Moran
Contributing Writer
Amazon denied reports that it plans to display the cost of U.S. tariffs next to the total price of products listed on the website.
The White House on Tuesday issued a rebuke against Amazon and the alleged move, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt telling reporters that the online retail titan is engaging in a “hostile and political act.”
“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt asked during the press briefing.
“This is another reason why Americans should buy American.”
She also said the company’s alleged plan is unsurprising as the tech juggernaut has “partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm,” citing a December 2021 article from Reuters.
However, Amazon said that it never considered disclosing tariff-related information on its main retail website and that nothing was ever incorporated.
“The team that runs our ultra-low-cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products. This was never approved and is not going to happen,” Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said in an emailed statement.
In a post on social media platform X, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Amazon’s decision not to display the cost of tariffs on products was a “good move.”
The administration’s rebuke of the retail giant came after PunchBowl News reported, citing an anonymous source, that the e-commerce giant planned to display how much U.S. tariffs contribute to each product’s price.
When asked if Amazon’s owner, billionaire Jeff Bezos, is still a supporter of President Donald Trump, Leavitt said she would not discuss the president’s relationship with him.
“But I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon,” she said.
Bezos donated $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee and has praised the president’s efforts to lower taxes and reduce burdensome regulations.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was present at the briefing, noted that the Trump administration’s chief priority has been to lower inflation that occurred under President Joe Biden.
“We are doing peace deals, trade deals, tax deals, and deregulating. And the deregulation is a longer lead time, but I think by the third and fourth quarter, that’s really going to kick in,” Bessent said.
Since the president’s sweeping tariffs earlier this month, prices on Amazon’s marketplace have risen, particularly for items made in China.
Shein and Temu, two China-based fast fashion titans, have also inserted hefty surcharges on their products.
Temu added “import charges” of about 145% in response to Trump’s levies.
“Items imported into the U.S. may be subject to import charges,” Temu said on its website. “These charges cover all customs-related processes and costs, including import fees paid to customs authorities on your behalf. The amount listed may not represent the actual amount paid to customs authorities.”
Shares of Amazon fell by about 0.6% in early trading on Tuesday.
