White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lashed out at Amazon over news that the commerce giant planned to display increased "import charges" on items on their Amazon Haul website, essentially showing to customers the extra money they'd have to shell out as a result of President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Trump has escalated a growing trade war by imposing tariffs of up to 145% on Chinese imports, prompting China to retaliate with its own 125% tariffs on American goods. Additionally, the U.S. has slapped a 10% tax on imports from most other countries, while temporarily suspending higher rates for several nations for 90 days.
The White House also implemented several sector-specific tariffs of 25% and has warned that it may reintroduce stricter measures on dozens of trading partners if they fail to reach agreements to reduce trade barriers with the United States—actions that economists say will deal heavy blows to the U.S. economy and lead to shortages.
During a White House press briefing Leavitt, who has wholeheartedly defended the tariffs, cited the report and called the move to display tariff charges on imported goods "a hostile and political act."
When questioned by a reporter who asked whether the news offers a "perfect demonstration that it's the American consumer who is paying for these policies," she said:
“This is a hostile and political act by Amazon. Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to its highest level in 40 years? I would also add that and as Reuters recently wrote, 'Amazon is Partnered with a Chinese Propaganda Arm.'"
"This is another reason why Americans should buy American. It's another reason why we are onshoring critical supply chains at home to boost our own critical supply chains and boost manufacturing."
You can hear what she said in the video below.
Amazon disputed the news report and company spokesperson Tim Doyle said Amazon Haul “has considered listing import charges on certain products" but that this “was never a consideration for the main Amazon site. Later, the company said that “this was never approved and is not going to happen.”
Many have criticized the administration to protest what they say are its efforts to obfuscate and conceal that information from their base.
Leavitt's comments come amid growing political risks facing the White House as the impact of its global trade war begins to hit closer to home for many Americans despite the administration's continued attempts to downplay the matter altogether.
Although overall economic indicators remain relatively strong, the administration’s tariffs—especially those targeting China—are expected to become more noticeable in the coming weeks and months. A recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll found that nearly two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the tariff issue.
Retailers are struggling to adapt to the new tariffs on Chinese goods. Many importers have halted shipments from China, causing delays in the arrival of appliances, electronics, cribs, clothing, and other products as they await clearer trade policy guidance.
The tariffs are expected to push prices higher on platforms like Amazon, where small businesses that rely on Chinese-made goods are scrambling to assess rising costs or locate alternative suppliers.
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