Amazon denied on Tuesday that it planned to disclose the cost that U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump were adding to its product prices, pushing back against a report that had sparked criticism from the White House.
Amazon said it had never considered listing tariffs on its main retail site and that no such changes had been implemented on any Amazon properties, according to Reuters. "The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store has considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products," a company spokesperson said in a statement.
The clarification came after Punchbowl News reported earlier Tuesday that Amazon would "soon" begin displaying the cost of tariffs alongside product prices. The report cited a source familiar with the company's plans and triggered swift rebuke from the Trump administration.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had spoken with Trump about the report and relayed his response: "This is a hostile and political act by Amazon." She added, "Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?"
Following the remarks, Amazon shares initially fell 2.2% in premarket trading before rebounding and trading flat later in the day.
The White House also tweeted a link to a 2021 Reuters report that alleged Amazon had partnered with a "Chinese propaganda arm." Leavitt said the situation was "another reason why Americans should buy American," emphasizing the Trump administration's broader push to strengthen domestic manufacturing and critical supply chains.
