White House Calls Amazon's Considered Plans to Display Tariff Costs ‘Hostile’ Act

What Happened?

The White House blasted e-commerce giant Amazon on Tuesday over reports it considered plans to display import charges to customers as they shopped, amid U.S. tariff hikes.

Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, responded to a report that Amazon would begin highlighting how much tariffs increased the prices of individual products on its website.

It would allow consumers to break out the figure from the total listed price.

The White House accused Amazon of committing a 'hostile and political act.'

'Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?' Leavitt asked during Tuesday's White House press briefing.

She added that Amazon's move was not surprising considering a 2021 report that the tech company had partnered with a 'Chinese propaganda arm.'

Amazon reportedly denied the report that it planned to disclose the tariff imposed costs following backlash from the White House.

Although it was considered for items sold via its site for ultra-discount items, the plan 'was never approved and not going to happen.'

Why it Matters

Amazon and other major retailers are currently enduring the heavy impacts of President Donald Trump's new tariff policies.

Companies have reportedly begun reaching out to third-party networks to gauge how tariffs are impacting their logistics and operations.

To counter these costs, some sellers have already implemented price increases and have cut back on paid advertising, according to CNBC.

A big influence in these matters is the ongoing feud between the U.S. and China surrounding reciprocal trade levies imposed.

President Trump recently spoke out following China's announcement that there were no ongoing tariff discussions with the U.S. despite indications.

In an interview, Trump stated the U.S. and China are in talks to strike a deal and that Chinese President Xi Jinping had called him.

The Trump administration states that 200 tariff deals have been made and expects negotiations to conclude in three to four weeks.

But Beijing, so far, has disputed these claims that there are negotiations on the economy and trade between the two countries.

These effects have reportedly caused consumer confidence to slump to the lowest level since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

How it Affects You

Counter-responses from countries like China have significantly spiked the global tariff rate, which has increased the risks of a 2025 recession.

The U.S. still holds a baseline rate of 145% on Chinese imports, while China levies remain at 125% on U.S. imports.

Trump suspended universal tariffs for 90 days, excluding China.

Top retailers are sounding the alarm, over what they worry will lead to higher costs in the future passed on to the consumer.

What China and the U.S. decide next can affect the global outcome of these retail cost predictions.