White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Labels Amazon’s Alleged Plan a ‘Hostile’ Act Against Trump Administration – Details

Standing beside U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Leavitt did not mince words when addressing the controversy. Responding to a reporter’s question about the company’s rumored plan, she labeled the move as nothing short of “a hostile and political act by Amazon.”

She questioned the company’s timing and motives, rhetorically asking why similar actions weren’t considered under the Joe Biden administration.

“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” she posed sharply.

Holding up a printed Reuters article featuring Bezos, Leavitt further stated, “As Reuters recently wrote, ‘Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.'” She then reinforced the administration’s ongoing calls for domestic production.

“This is another reason why Americans should buy American,” she expressed. “And this is another reason why we are onshoring critical supply chains here at home to shore up our own critical supply chain, and boost our own manufacturing here.”

The moment grew more charged when a reporter pivoted to question whether Bezos, who notably showed public support for Trump by attending his inauguration, remains an ally to the president.

Leavitt sidestepped the inquiry, responding, “Uh, look, I will not speak to the president’s relationships with Jeff Bezos, but I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon.”

In the wake of Leavitt’s pointed remarks and news reports on the matter, Amazon was quick to issue a clarifying statement, pushing back on the mounting speculation. Less than two hours after the press briefing concluded, a spokesperson for the retail giant spoke to Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), addressing the controversy directly.

According to the representative, the idea of displaying import charges linked to tariffs had only been a consideration, and only for a very specific corner of the company — its budget-focused shopping section.

“The team that runs our ultra low cost [sic] Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products,” noted the company. However, they were careful to emphasize that this concept was never intended for the broader Amazon storefront.

“This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site,” they added, making it clear that no such changes have been implemented “on any Amazon properties.”

The message they penned on X is equally definitive, as they wrote, “This was never approved and is not going to happen.”

While speaking to reporters about the situation and Amazon’s response on Tuesday afternoon, April 29, 2025, Trump praised Bezos for his swift handling of the matter. He remarked that the billionaire entrepreneur had done “the right thing.”

According to a pool report, Trump went on to describe Bezos as “very nice” and “terrific,” adding, “He solved the problem very quickly […] Good guy.” Such information was published by The Washington Post, which Bezos owns.

The controversy first gained traction following a report that suggested Amazon was preparing to launch a new pricing feature aimed at highlighting the impact of Trump-era tariffs.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the tariff detail would appear directly alongside the total listed price, offering a breakdown of what portion was attributed to import fees. Reportedly, this move was motivated by the company’s desire to avoid being blamed for the broader economic consequences of the administration’s trade policies.

Amazon’s rumored plan and Leavitt’s assertions about such come weeks after Trump announced a sweeping 90-day pause on the reciprocal tariffs affecting dozens of countries, with one major exception — China.

Trump has been particularly steadfast in his belief that high tariffs are a cornerstone of U.S. economic policy. Hence, the announcement, which came late Wednesday, April 9, via the president’s Truth Social account, was unexpected.

In his post, he detailed a tariff pause and why. According to the post, countries with reciprocal tariffs at midnight will now see those duties reduced to a universal 10% rate for the next three months.

Trump cited ongoing outreach from over 75 nations, which he said had contacted U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Commerce and Treasury, as a major reason for the pause.

He noted that these countries had not retaliated against U.S. measures, based on what he described as his “strong suggestion.”

“This is a window for real negotiations,” Trump said in his statement, pointing to continued talks surrounding trade, trade barriers, tariffs, currency manipulation, and non-monetary tariffs.

However, the softening does not apply to China. Trump doubled down on his hardline approach to the world’s second-largest economy, announcing an increase in tariffs from 104% to 125%, effective immediately.

He cited Beijing’s recent retaliatory tariffs and what he called a “lack of respect” for global markets as justification for the hike. “At some point, hopefully in the near future, China will realize that the days of ripping off the U.S.A., and other Countries, is no longer sustainable or acceptable,” Trump wrote.

The tariff announcement represents a balancing act, offering temporary relief to many trade partners while escalating pressure on China. With the global economy watching closely, Trump’s strategy appears aimed at resetting the playing field without fully backing off from his aggressive trade agenda.

As the 90-day countdown continues, attention is now focused on whether global leaders will use the window to reach more stable trade agreements or whether the pause is simply a brief intermission in a larger tariff standoff. Either way, Trump’s message is clear, and concessions may be made, but not to China.

The lead-up to this dramatic pause began on April 2, when Trump shocked allies and markets alike with an announcement in the Rose Garden. He declared a national economic emergency and laid out a sweeping new tariff policy to overhaul decades of U.S. trade relations.

The president announced sharp new tariffs on nearly all major trading partners, including a 34% tax on Chinese imports and a 20% tariff on goods from the European Union. A universal 10% baseline was also imposed on imports from every country unless otherwise specified.