Amazon tariff price report addressed by White House: ‘Hostile and political’

The White House rebuked Amazon Tuesday morning over a report that the e-commerce giant was going to begin displaying tariff costs on its shopping website. 

Amazon tariff price report

The backstory:

Early Tuesday morning, Punchbowl News, an online political news daily in Washington, D.C., reported Amazon’s decision. 

Their report said the shopping site will display how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs next to the product’s total listed price. 

The report was publicized based on information from someone familiar with the plan, Punchbowl News said.

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White House, Karoline Leavitt responds

The backstory:

The White House was holding a press briefing Tuesday morning with press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to mark President Trump’s 100th day in office and speak on the state of the economy when they were asked about Amazon’s reported decision. 

"Isn’t that a perfect, crystal clear demonstration that it’s the American consumer and not China who is going to have to pay for these policies?" the reporter asked. 

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What they're saying:

Leavitt responded saying she had just spoken to President Trump about Amazon’s announcement, and called it a "hostile and political act" by the tech shopping giant. 

"Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?" she asked. "And I would also add that, it's not a surprise because, as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm," she continued, though the report she appears to be referencing is from 2021. 

"This is another reason why Americans should buy American. It's 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," she added. 

She was then asked if Jeff Bezos, who founded and owns Amazon, was still a Trump supporter.

"Look, I will not speak to the president's relationship with Jeff Bezos, but I will tell you that this is certainly a hostile and political action by Amazon," she reiterated.

Amazon responds

The other side:

Later on Tuesday, The Associated Press and the Washington Post, which is also owned by Bezos, reported they'd received a statement from Amazon spokesman Tim Doyle that said the team that runs Haul, Amazon’s low-cost Temu competitor, "has considered listing import charges on certain products." But it "was never a consideration for the main Amazon site," he said, "and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties." 

An Amazon spokesperson said in an updated statement later emailed to FOX Television Stations that listing import charges on certain products "was never approved and is not going to happen." 

Amazon Haul

The backstory:

Last fall, Amazon launched a low-cost online storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced at under $20, an effort to compete with discount retailers that have increasingly encroached on the e-commerce giant’s turf.

At the time, Amazon told its sellers that it would ship products sold on Haul to U.S. customers from a warehouse operating in China. 

Many of the available products on the storefront resemble the types of items typically found on Shein and Temu, the China-founded e-commerce platforms that have grown in popularity in recent years.

Temu, Shein ‘import charges’

Meanwhile:

Temu has implemented an "import charge" for some products sold to customers in the U.S. amid Trump's tariff on goods shipped from China and an executive order to end a loophole on low-value imports.

A message displayed on Temu’s checkout page states that "items imported into the U.S. may be subject to import charges."

Both Temu and Shein said the companies would be making "price adjustments" starting at the end of April.

READ MORE: Temu adds 'import charges' after Trump tariffs: What to know

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