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Amazon has refuted reports suggesting it intended to display tariff costs on product listings, following sharp criticism from the White House. The controversy began when Punchbowl News reported that Amazon planned to show how much of an item's price was attributable to tariffs, particularly those imposed by the current administration.​ 

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the alleged move as a "hostile and political act," questioning why Amazon hadn't taken similar steps during previous administrations. There was reportedly a call placed to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos from the White House to express his displeasure over the matter. In response, Amazon clarified that while the idea was internally discussed for its budget platform, Amazon Haul, it was never approved or implemented.​

“The team that runs our ultra low cost Amazon Haul store has considered listing import charges on certain products,” an Amazon spokesperson said, according to NBC News. “This was never a consideration for the main Amazon site and nothing has been implemented on any Amazon properties.”

The incident has reignited debates over tariff transparency and the impact of trade policies on consumers. While some lawmakers advocate for greater disclosure of tariff-related costs, others view such actions as politically motivated. Amazon's decision to forgo displaying tariff costs underscores the complexities businesses face in navigating policy changes and public perception.  

“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt asked, which belies a false equivalency. President Biden never implemented unilateral tariffs, and the inflationary rates during his term was inherited from the last presidential term before he took office. 

She added, “This is another reason why Americans should buy American.”