Amazon denied a report on Tuesday that it planned to disclose to customers on its website the cost that U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump were adding to its products, after the White House blasted the idea.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she had discussed the Amazon plan, reported earlier by Punchbowl News, with Trump, and his message about it was: "This is a hostile and political act by Amazon."
Amazon said on Tuesday it never considered listing tariffs on its main retail site and nothing was implemented on any company site.
"The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store considered the idea of listing import charges on certain products. This was never approved and (is) not going to happen," a company spokesperson said.
The comments sent Amazon shares down 2.2 per cent in premarket trading.
Amazon did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Punchbowl report or the White House statement.
Trump has imposed a tsunami of tariffs on U.S. trading partners, including China, which has seen tariff costs rise by 145 per cent since Trump took office.
"Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level of 40 years?" Leavitt told reporters at a White House briefing.
Leavitt said Amazon's move was not a surprise given a 2021 report by Reuters that the tech company had partnered with a "Chinese propaganda arm."
The White House tweeted a link to the Reuters report earlier Tuesday.
"So, this is another reason why Americans should buy American," she said, underscoring the Trump administration's efforts to shore up critical supply chains and boost domestic manufacturing.
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