Donald Trump administration accuses Amazon of 'hostile act' over tariff display plan: 'This is another reason why…'

Donald Trump's administration has reacted strongly to a report that Amazon planned to show consumers the impact of his tariffs by displaying the added costs next to product prices on their site. In a sharp criticism, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the reported plan as a “hostile and political act.”

“This is a hostile and political act by Amazon. Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt said, questioning the timing of Amazon’s reported move.

Citing a person familiar with the plan, the report by Punchbowl News claimed that Amazon “will soon show how much Trump’s tariffs are adding to the price of each product”, displaying “how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs – right next to the product’s total listed price.”

Leavitt concluded her remarks by urging Americans to “buy American”.

“This is another reason why Americans should buy American,” she added.

Amazon responds: ‘This was never…’
However, an Amazon spokesperson clarified the scope of the reported plan to CNBC. The spokesperson stated that the company had only considered displaying import charges on select products within its budget-focused shopping section, Amazon Haul.

“The team that runs our ultra-low-cost Amazon Haul store has considered listing import charges on certain products,” the spokesperson explained, adding, “This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site, and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties.”

During the press briefing, Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent were questioned by a reporter about whether they agreed that Amazon's move would demonstrate that American consumers, rather than China, bear the brunt of tariff costs.

Leavitt responded by stating that she had “just got off the phone with the president about Amazon’s announcement,” indicating the high level of concern within the administration.

Leavitt also suggested that Amazon's reported decision was “not a surprise,” citing a Reuters report that Amazon had “partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm.”