A wave of outrage from conservative influencers and political allies of former President Donald Trump has put Amazon in the hot seat over a now-dismissed plan to disclose tariff costs on its platform. The backlash highlights persistent tensions between Big Tech firms and the MAGA movement, despite ongoing efforts by industry leaders to align themselves more closely with Trump’s administration.
MAGA Allies React Swiftly and Sharply
The controversy erupted after Punchbowl News reported that Amazon was considering displaying import tariff charges on select items sold through its “Amazon Haul” discount store. Although Amazon swiftly denied the plan, the initial report was enough to ignite criticism from prominent right-wing voices.
Steve Bannon, a key Trump ally, declared on his “War Room” podcast that Amazon was “going to war with Trump,” framing the issue as part of a broader battle between American populists and corporate oligarchs. Conservative activist Laura Loomer also weighed in, accusing Big Tech of deception and betrayal. “They only told Trump what he wanted to hear when he won,” she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Even before Amazon issued its denial, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned the idea, calling it a “hostile and political act” by the online retail giant.
Trump and Bezos Talk It Out
The uproar prompted a direct conversation between Trump and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. According to a senior administration official, the phone call went well, with Trump later remarking that Bezos had “done the right thing” and describing him as a “good guy.” Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle clarified that while the discount store team had floated the idea internally, it was never approved for implementation and would not be pursued.
Big Tech’s Cozying Up to Trump
Since Trump’s return to the White House, Silicon Valley has taken visible steps to foster goodwill with the administration. Top executives from Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and OpenAI each contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund. At the inauguration ceremony, several of them were given prominent seats, signaling their willingness to work more closely with the new administration.
In the months following the inauguration, social media platforms have softened or revised content moderation policies that had previously led to the banning or suspension of conservative accounts, particularly over misinformation about COVID-19 and the 2020 election.
MAGA Base Remains Deeply Skeptical
Despite these overtures, skepticism within Trump’s base toward Big Tech remains firmly entrenched. Many MAGA supporters have long accused technology firms of censorship and ideological bias. The Amazon tariff uproar reaffirmed those suspicions for many.
“MAGA isn’t convinced by token gestures,” conservative podcaster Jack Posobiec told Axios. “Facebook, Instagram, Amazon—they haven’t restored the censored accounts or taken real action. It just looks like PR.”
Trump campaign adviser and Rumble executive Tim Murtaugh echoed that sentiment. “Executives are changing their tune now that Trump’s back in office,” he said. “But MAGA hasn’t forgotten. That mistrust is deep-rooted and earned.”
Antitrust and Trade Frictions Add to the Pressure
This episode comes against the backdrop of broader antitrust and trade disputes involving Big Tech. Bipartisan coalitions in Congress are pushing for increased regulatory scrutiny of large technology companies, while Trump’s protectionist trade policies have put additional pressure on firms that rely on global supply chains.
Across the Atlantic, the European Union is also tightening the screws on tech regulation. With America pulling back under Trump’s “America First” strategy, the EU is aggressively advancing digital policy reforms, presenting new challenges for U.S. tech firms hoping for regulatory reprieve at home.
A Rocky Road Ahead
For all their financial contributions and rhetorical shifts, tech companies may find it difficult to truly win over the MAGA movement. Tuesday’s backlash underscores the fine line Big Tech must walk: seeking cooperation from a populist administration while contending with the ideological hostility that many of its supporters harbor toward large corporations.
While the Trump-Bezos phone call helped calm the storm, the underlying mistrust remains unresolved. Whether Amazon and other tech giants can overcome these fractures or remain lightning rods in a deeply polarized environment is still an open question.
Bottom Line
The Amazon tariff uproar has served as a litmus test for how far Big Tech’s reconciliation efforts with the Trump movement have progressed—and revealed just how fragile that relationship still is. Despite executive-level outreach and generous political donations, the MAGA base continues to view Silicon Valley with suspicion, proving that trust, once lost, isn’t easily regained.
