Amazon Caves! Tariff Price Plan Blows Up in Their Face After MAGA Backlash

A brief experiment by Amazon quickly turned into a political firestorm on Tuesday, as the company was forced to backtrack on a controversial pricing proposal that critics saw as an attack on President Trump’s economic policies.

Amazon had briefly considered listing tariff-related costs alongside product prices, a move that Trump’s supporters quickly condemned as a political statement meant to undermine the President’s trade agenda. Within hours, the backlash was intense, and the company reversed course.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt led the charge, using her morning briefing to accuse Amazon of deliberately manipulating consumer perceptions by highlighting the impact of tariffs on product prices. She questioned why such a proposal wasn’t considered under the Biden administration and called it a “deliberate act of manipulation.”

An Amazon spokesperson clarified that no action had been taken to implement the idea, explaining that it was just something considered by a team in the Amazon Haul division for certain products, but it was never rolled out.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also weighed in, defending the Trump administration’s trade strategy and pointing to signs that China’s economy was on the brink of collapse unless they struck a new deal. He suggested that China could lose millions of jobs due to the economic strain of the tariffs.

The controversy began when Punchbowl News reported that Amazon was exploring adding tariff-related breakdowns to product prices, which many saw as an attempt to emphasize rising consumer costs and sow doubt about the effectiveness of Trump’s trade policies.

Leavitt didn’t hold back, attacking Amazon’s leadership for its past actions, including accusations that Amazon had cooperated with Chinese officials to suppress reviews and content on its Chinese platform. She labeled the company’s behavior “treasonous” and drew attention to Amazon’s controversial stance during the Biden administration.

As Trump’s team increasingly focuses on trade and tariffs in his political messaging, Leavitt reinforced the idea that Trump’s economic policies were a key factor in his re-election.

Despite his past donations to Trump’s inaugural fund, Amazon’s founder Jeff Bezos has faced criticism from all sides, with reports suggesting he pushed his Washington Post to adopt a more conservative editorial line. The backlash over the tariff pricing proposal highlights how sensitive the nation has become to economic messaging, with even small changes in how companies frame costs triggering national debate.

Scroll down to leave a comment and share your thoughts.