Punchbowl News certainly opened a can of worms with its Tuesday report that Amazon would soon start adding tariff costs to product listings on its site.
It all kicked off when Punchbowl's Tuesday morning newsletter landed in inboxes with a hot little item that declared, "Amazon to display tariff costs for consumers." This was followed by a tweet from the site's founder, Jake Sherman, who is also an NBC/MSNBC contributor, maintaining that the online retail behemoth "will start displaying how much of an item’s cost is derived from tariffs – right next to the product’s total listed price."
This news irked the Trump White House, which is spending Tuesday touting the achievements of President Trump's first 100 days in office, including the president's plan to use reciprocal tariffs to help address trade imbalances with other countries. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared alongside White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a special briefing Tuesday morning, and remarked, “Tariffs will bring back American manufacturing and generate substantial revenues.”
Karoline Leavitt Nukes Jeff Bezos, Amazon Over Tariff Pricing Move
Leavitt offered up some thoughts on the alleged plan by Amazon to add in the tariff pricing, saying the move was "a hostile and political act by Amazon." She also questioned why Amazon didn't take similar action when inflation skyrocketed under Biden, noting that the retailer, as reported by Reuters back in 2021, had also partnered with a Chinese "propaganda arm" with the goal of bolstering its operations in China.
Following the conclusion of the Leavitt-Bessent press conference, CNN reported that the president had called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to discuss the company's plan to add in tariff costs to listings. The two seem to have a burgeoning friendship, with Bezos having been in attendance at Trump's second inauguration back in January.
Scoop: Trump called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Tuesday morning to complain about reports that his company was considering displaying the cost U.S. tariffs next to prices for certain products on its website, two senior White House officials told @CNN
— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) April 29, 2025
It's not know what exactly was said between the two men during that call, but, soon after the call took place, an Amazon spokesperson denied that the company would be adding the tariff costs next to product pricing:
"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.
One aspect of the story that seems to have flown under the radar is the fact that Amazon was the sponsor of the Tuesay morning edition of the Punchbowl newsletter in which the tariff tidbit appeared. Amazon is a frequent sponsor of left-leaning political newsletters, but the timing here is a bit suspect.
It's interesting that Amazon actually sponsored the Punchbowl newsletter that kicked off the tariff pricing kerfuffle this morning. pic.twitter.com/oItYetcuMr
— Teri (@TeriChristoph) April 29, 2025
It seems like this may all be a case of Amazon getting exactly what it paid for—possibly a trial balloon to see how the administration and the public would react to seeing this new kind of pricing? Or, maybe Jeff Bezos isn't such a good friend after all and choose President Trump's 100th day in office to pick a fight over tariffs?
Whether it was a trial balloon gone wrong or a well-timed provocation, Amazon's flirtation with tariff transparency has clearly touched a nerve. The timing seems to make one thing clear: tariffs remain front and center in a political tug-of-war between those in favor of tariffs and those who will fight them tooth and nail.
Every single day, here at RedState, we will stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve.
Help us continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration and its major wins. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member