Jeff Bezos reamed out by Trump in call minutes before Amazon debunked tariff report: CNN
CNN's Alayna Treene reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos purportedly to chew him out over reports that the company planned to reveal price increases due to the administration's imposed tariffs on its website.
"Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Tuesday morning to complain about reports that his company was considering displaying the cost U.S. tariffs next to prices for certain products on its website, two senior White House officials told @CNN."
In subsequent posts, Treene wrote, "The call came shortly after one of the senior officials phoned the president to inform him of the story The controversy comes as Trump & Bezos have grown increasingly close in recent months. Bezos often visits the West Wing when in Washington to meet with the president."
Treene continued, "Soon after the call between Trump & Bezos, an Amazon spokesman released a statement clarifying the move wasn't considered for the main Amazon site but was considered for Amazon Haul The spox later sent CNN a revised stmt, adding: 'This was never approved and not going to happen.'"
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The situation began with reporting from Punchbowl News that was headlined, "Amazon to display tariff costs for consumers."
The White House responded in a Tuesday morning press briefing, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt calling Amazon's reported move as "a hostile and political act by Amazon."
CNN's Kaitlan Collins called Leavitt's comments "remarkable" and an "incredibly aggressive response."
"If I had told you this was the response from the White House eight years ago, you might not have been as surprised," Collins continued. "That was when the president was openly feuding with Jeff Bezos, was highly critical of The Washington Post and its coverage of him. But Jeff Bezos came to the president's inauguration. He was seated there among him. He has had dinner with him. He's been here at the White House since then. And, so, it is remarkable to to hear what the White House's response to that was."
The Washington Post's Jeff Stein then broke the news on X that "Amazon Spox now saying this was never under consideration for the main Amazon website. Says Amazon Haul has considered listing import price duties on certain products."
Bezos hasn't yet publicly commented on the controversy.