The White House sharply criticized Amazon on April 29 after reports emerged that the ecommerce giant was considering a plan to display the impact of U.S. tariffs on product prices, calling it a “hostile and political act.”
The controversy was sparked by a report from Punchbowl News suggesting that Amazon planned to show customers, at checkout, how much tariffs — particularly those imposed under President Donald Trump — were increasing product costs. In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Amazon of political bias.
“This is a hostile and political act by Amazon,” Leavitt said, according to The Guardian. “Where was this transparency during the inflation crisis under the Biden administration?” she added, questioning the timing and motivation behind the company’s reported plan.
Amazon ranks No. 1 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 2000 Database, which tracks the largest online retailers in North America by annual ecommerce sales. Amazon is also No. 3 in Digital Commerce 360’s Global Online Marketplaces Database. The database ranks the 100 largest global marketplaces by third-party gross merchandise value (GMV).
White House reacts to Amazon tariff price display
The White House’s strong reaction reflects broader tensions between major U.S. corporations and government policy, particularly in areas where economic and political interests collide. In a statement reported by Politico, Leavitt further accused Amazon of attempting to “undermine efforts to hold China accountable” through trade policy, suggesting the company was siding against American workers and businesses by highlighting the costs of tariffs.
Following the backlash, Amazon issued a clarification. A company spokesperson told The Guardian that the discussions about displaying tariff-related costs were “preliminary” and only involved Amazon Haul, a separate discount platform the company is piloting. There were no current plans to display tariff impact information across Amazon’s main retail platform, the company said.
Despite Amazon’s clarification, the report rattled investors. Shares of Amazon declined during the April 29 trading session, reflecting concerns about political retaliation and broader economic uncertainty stemming from trade policy changes. Reuters reported that Amazon’s stock dipped by 2% following the White House’s comments.
Economic analysts note that companies like Amazon are in a difficult position.
“On one hand, transparency about price changes builds consumer trust,” said Lydia Boussour, senior economist at EY-Parthenon, speaking to Reuters. “On the other, in a highly politicized environment, such moves can trigger accusations of partisanship.”
For now, Amazon is backing away from immediate implementation of tariff cost disclosures on its primary shopping platforms. But the episode highlights the growing friction between corporate transparency initiatives and political sensitivity as trade and economic policies evolve.
The White House has not indicated whether it plans to pursue any formal action against Amazon.
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