Washington’s power corridors buzzed with tension this week as President Donald Trump, in a fit of frustration, dialed up Amazon titan Jeff Bezos. The reason? A leaked report that Amazon was mulling a bold move to slap tariff costs right onto product prices, shining a spotlight on Trump’s trade policies. The call, described by insiders as heated, set off a rapid chain of events that ended with Amazon backtracking faster than a delivery truck in a dead-end alley.
On April 29, whispers surfaced that Amazon was considering breaking out U.S. tariff charges as a separate line item on its website. The idea was simple but explosive: show customers exactly how much Trump’s tariffs—levied on imports to boost American manufacturing—were jacking up the cost of their goods. Think $50 sneakers with a $5 tariff fee staring you in the face at checkout. For a president who’s staked his economic legacy on tariffs, this was a direct jab. Trump, never one to let a slight slide, reportedly got wind of the plan and hit the phone.
The call to Bezos wasn’t a polite chat over coffee. Sources close to the White House say Trump was livid, viewing Amazon’s potential move as a deliberate attempt to pin rising prices on his administration. By morning, the president’s irritation was clear, and Amazon felt the heat. Later that day, an Amazon spokesperson issued a statement to CNN, walking back the tariff display idea with the speed of a corporate U-turn. “This was never approved and not going to happen,” the spokesperson said, shutting down the controversy like a warehouse door.
The White House didn’t stay quiet either. A statement labeled Amazon’s reported plan as “hostile and political,” a rare public swipe at a corporate giant. Trump’s team argued that highlighting tariff costs would mislead consumers, obscuring the broader economic wins—like job growth in steel towns—that the administration claims tariffs deliver. Amazon, for its part, stayed mum on whether Bezos himself took the call or what was said. The company’s swift denial suggests the last thing it wanted was a prolonged brawl with a president known for holding grudges.
This isn’t the first time Trump and Amazon have locked horns. The president has long targeted the company, accusing it of dodging taxes and crushing small businesses. Bezos, who owns The Washington Post, has also been a lightning rod for Trump’s ire, with the president often slamming the paper as biased. The tariff dustup only pours fuel on a years-long feud, one that’s played out in tweets, press conferences, and now, apparently, private phone calls.
By April 30, the story had rippled through Washington and Wall Street. Amazon’s stock barely blinked, but the episode underscored the tightrope companies walk when navigating Trump’s trade agenda. Tariffs, a cornerstone of his economic playbook, have driven up costs for everything from electronics to clothing. The Bureau of Economic Analysis pegs the average tariff rate on Chinese goods at 19.3% as of early 2025, a figure that hits consumers’ wallets hard. Amazon’s aborted plan would’ve made that sting impossible to ignore.
For now, the tariff saga is on ice. Amazon’s website remains free of any tariff breakdowns, and the White House has its win. But in a city where power plays are daily bread, this clash between a brash president and a tech juggernaut is just another day at the office. Trump’s call to Bezos happened on April 29. Amazon’s statement denying the tariff display plan was issued the same day. The White House’s “hostile and political” comment was part of an official release on April 30.