Trump administration officials threw a hissy fit on Tuesday over a report that Amazon planned to start listing the impact of tariffs on individual product prices. Their outrage was understandable in light of the damage tariffs are already inflicting on the economy—but also ironic, given how President Donald Trump has repeatedly said that “tariff” is “the most beautiful word in the dictionary.” He should want the word listed in bold type on Amazon price breakdowns, and in as many other places as possible!
Instead, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed disclosing the impact of tariffs was “a hostile and political act by Amazon.”
While Trump’s about-face deserves criticism, there’s another person who bears scrutiny: Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos.
Like many other multibillionaires, Bezos has spent the past few months kissing up to the White House’s new occupant, hoping his obsequiousness will stave off attacks like the ones Trump launched against Amazon during his first term as president—and secure more billion-dollar government contracts for Bezos’ space company Blue Origin.
Part of Bezos’ strategy to win Trump’s heart: castrating The Washington Post, first by refusing to let the newspaper run a traditional presidential endorsement (which would’ve gone to Kamala Harris), and then by neutering its entire editorial board. Those actions have bled the publication of readers and revenue as Bezos favors his daddy Trump over his customers.
“We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others,” Bezos wrote on X.
His choice of social media platform was no coincidence, as that’s where the biggest sycophants curry favor with Trump and his co-President Elon Musk.
“I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America,” said Bezos, whose idea of a free market includes contributing $1 million to Trump’s inauguration festivities. “I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void.”
Ha ha! Yes, unfettered capitalism sure is hard to find in today’s media landscape.
But what’s so “free market” about tariffs? What does “freedom” mean if people are not properly informed?
If Bezos wants to live his supposed ideals—ideals that have severely damaged one of our nation’s premier journalistic institutions—then he can prove it by doing exactly what Trump fears most: letting people know how tariffs are affecting the free market, and informing them of the factual consequences so they can properly assess how to proceed. If consumers love higher prices from tariffs as much as Trump seems to, then great! The GOP can rest assured during the 2026 midterm elections.
Related | Trump praises Jeff Bezos for turning Washington Post into MAGA media
Yet Republicans are obviously terrified at the prospect—and that includes Trump. That’s why despite all of the president’s swooning over the word “tariffs,” Leavitt essentially threatened Bezos from the White House press room’s podium.
But that certainly shouldn’t matter, as Bezos has told us he’s not afraid of any retribution.
“You can see my wealth and business interests as a bulwark against intimidation, or you can see them as a web of conflicting interests,” he wrote when justifying his paper’s nonendorsement. “Only my own principles can tip the balance from one to the other. I assure you that my views here are, in fact, principled, and I believe my track record as owner of The Post since 2013 backs this up. You are of course free to make your own determination, but I challenge you to find one instance in those 11 years where I have prevailed upon anyone at The Post in favor of my own interests. It hasn’t happened.”
Well, it seems to be happening now.
He can prove otherwise to everyone by doing what Trump fears the most: clearly show the 230 million people who buy from Amazon the impact and consequences of Trump’s dunderheaded tariffs.
In fact, free market principles demand it.
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