White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Amazon after reports claimed it would add tariff surcharge labels to its online listings. The report from Punchbowl News said Amazon intended to show how Trump’s tariffs increased product prices. 

The goal was reportedly to avoid blame for price hikes caused by rising import duties. Leavitt said the plan was an attack on the administration and accused Amazon of playing politics.

She questioned why the company did not take such steps when inflation soared under President Biden. She also held up a news article alleging ties between Amazon and Chinese propaganda, calling it more evidence of foreign influence.

Amazon later denied the report and said no such label was ever approved. A spokesperson said only the low-cost Amazon Haul team discussed showing import charges but nothing would move forward. The controversy comes as nearly 1,000 Amazon products have seen price hikes since mid-April due to new tariffs.

Tariffs Drive Price Surges As Amazon Faces Political Heat

Data from SmartScout shows that prices on many popular items have jumped by nearly 30%. Brands like Anker have raised prices on mobile accessories and apparel. Critics say the public deserves transparency about price increases. Supporters of Trump argue Amazon is using labels to shift blame unfairly.

“There’s so much bias and so much racism and so much ignorance that fuels those kind of choices,” Leavitt said.

Meanwhile, Trump recently praised Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg for what he called a respectful new relationship.