On Tuesday, a single-source report from Punchbowl Information claimed that Amazon would quickly add a “tariff” line merchandise to its listings as a result of “Amazon doesn’t want to shoulder the blame for the cost of President Donald Trump’s trade war.”
Amazon shortly denied many of the report—however not earlier than White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt channeled her boss, President Donald Trump, with abject fury on the mere notion of value transparency for shoppers.
“Why didn’t Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?” Leavitt mentioned. “And I would also add that it’s not a surprise because, as Reuters recently wrote, Amazon has recently partnered with a Chinese propaganda arm, so this is another reason why Americans should buy American.”
Amazon does record taxes on its checkout web page, so sure, Amazon completely does inform shoppers of government-imposed charges on gross sales, even when Biden was president. However this fury is weird, on condition that Trump is so deeply infatuated with tariffs.
Throughout an interview on the Financial Membership of Chicago on Oct. 15, 2024, he mentioned, “To me the most beautiful word in the dictionary is ‘tariff.’” He added that the phrase had such damaging connotations that “[i]t needs a public relations firm.”
Time and again on final yr’s marketing campaign path, he hit his pro-tariff message.
Right here he was just a few days later, this time in Michigan, saying, “It is probably the most lovely phrase within the dictionary. You could have loads of phrases which might be rattling good like ‘love.’ However I believe it is extra lovely than love. The phrase ‘tariff.’”
He saved the theme going at his inauguration.
“I always say ‘tariffs’ is the most beautiful word to me in the dictionary. Then I was reprimanded by the fake news. They said, ‘What about love, religion, and God?’ I said I agree. Let’s put God No. 1. Let’s put religion No. 2,” he mentioned at his post-inaugural rally at Capitol One Space on Jan. 20. “‘Love,’ I don’t know, we got to put that No. 3, I guess, right? And then it’s ‘tariff’ because tariffs are going to make us rich as hell. It’s going to bring our country’s businesses back that left us.”
Regardless of his backtracking, it’s clear: Trump loves tariffs.
So why is he all of a sudden so offended at Amazon for wanting to place the phrase “tariffs” on its product listings? He ought to be pleased! He ought to need probably the most lovely phrase on the earth in as many locations as potential.
The explanations are apparent. Tariffs are trashing the financial system. They triggered the financial system to contract within the first quarter of 2025. A recession is commonly outlined as two consecutive quarters of financial contraction, and we’re midway there. No severe particular person believes that even greater tariffs will make issues higher.
Trump could wish to screech on Fact Social that “[t]ariffs will soon start kicking in, and companies are starting to move into the USA in record numbers.” However even when that have been the case (and it gained’t be), that might nonetheless imply greater costs for shoppers. And on condition that Trump gained the election largely on his promise to decrease costs “on Day 1,” he can’t afford to confess that he fucked this one up royally.
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