Tariff Tango: Amazon Under Fire, 007 Weighs In

A Very Uncivil War of Words

Right so apparently Washington's knickers are in a twist over Amazon. The White House led by a rather spirited press secretary named Karoline Leavitt is accusing Bezos' behemoth of a "hostile and political act." Seems Amazon was flirting with the idea of showing customers how much of a product's price is due to Trump's tariffs. Honestly you'd think they'd found Goldfinger's bullion reserves in the warehouse. "Why didn't Amazon do this when the Biden administration hiked inflation to the highest level in 40 years?" Leavitt asked. Touché. It's all rather reminiscent of a Bond villain's plot isn't it? Except instead of world domination it's about… well shopping.

Shaken Not Stirred Stock Prices

The stock market ever the drama queen reacted predictably. Amazon's shares took a nosedive faster than I can say "Vodka martini shaken not stirred." Thankfully they recovered quicker than I can disarm a bomb. An Amazon spokesperson chimed in suggesting the tariff display idea was only for their budget friendly "Amazon Haul" section. A bit like saying Oddjob's hat was only for special occasions. They later clarified that the plan was "never approved" and is "not going to happen." Damage control darling damage control.

Beijing's Bookshelf and Tariff Tussles

Leavitt also mentioned Amazon's past dealings with Beijing specifically the removal of customer reviews from a book by President Xi Jinping. It appears Amazon is trying to walk a tightrope strung between the East and the West. Talk about living dangerously! The White House seems to think this is a matter of “The World Is Not Enough”. The reporter asked Leavitt if she agreed that Amazon's move is a "crystal clear demonstration that it's the American consumer and not China who is going to have to pay for these policies."

From Foes to Friends (or Not?)

Now here's where it gets interesting. Apparently Bezos and Trump have been playing footsie under the table. Bezos once a frequent target of Trump's Twitter tirades has apparently expressed optimism about Trump's second coming. It's a twist worthy of Blofeld himself! There are rumours of donations and attendance at inaugurations. Are we witnessing a reconciliation? Or is it merely a strategic alliance of convenience? Only time will tell but I'll be watching with bated breath... and a well prepared escape route.

The Price is Right... Or Is It?

Amazon is facing the music as Trump's tariffs threaten to eat into profits. Up to 70% of Amazon goods are sourced from China making them particularly vulnerable. Amazon has started emailing sellers to gauge the impact of Trump's agenda. A bit late to start asking now isn't it? Perhaps they should have consulted Q before making any decisions.

A Bond Worthy Conclusion

So what's the verdict? It seems we have a classic case of politics interfering with business. Is Amazon being unfairly targeted? Or are they simply reaping what they sow? As always the truth is likely somewhere in between. All I know is that this situation is more convoluted than a SPECTRE plot and I wouldn't be surprised if there are more twists and turns to come. For now I'll stick to my martini. Shaken not stirred. And perhaps a little investigation into Amazon's shipping routes…