Amid accusations that Amazon doesn't pay its fair share of taxes, recent reports revealed Trump's campaign spent more than $150,000 on purchases from the retail giant.
President Donald Trump’s continued hatred toward the world’s largest online retailer prompted its stocks to plummet as much as 4.6 percent last week. But the recent reports revealed the president himself apparently used the services of Amazon rather extensively during his campaign.
According to the Federal Election Commission records, the Trump campaign spent $158,498.41 in 379 transactions in 2015 and 2016. In an average transaction, the campaign spent $418.20, while the most it spent in a single transaction was $3,890.
The “Donald J. Trump for President” committee continued to use Amazon well after the election, spending more than $2,000 in 2017.
Such revelations came amid Trump’s relentless attacks on the e-commerce giant on Twitter. The commander-in-chief accused the company of taking advantage of the U.S. Postal Service and failing to pay enough in state and local taxes.
He tweeted last week:
While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that “the size of the company’s lobbying staff has ballooned,” and that...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 31, 2018
Trump later expanded that attack, claiming without any evidence that Amazon is using The Washington Post as a "lobbyist."
The POTUS’s claims he had reservations about Amazon long before the elections seems pretty unconvincing, because if that was the case, then he would have deterred his campaign from relying on supplies the retailer provided. But, just like many other political campaigns, businesses and American families, the president’s campaign turned to Amazon for the supplies.
This makes it worth digging into what made Trump deviate from his favorite topics (Russia, immigrants, etc.) and grumble about Amazon over the weekend?
Not-so-coincidentally, Amazon and The Washington Post, both being usual recipients of Trump’s rage, happen to be owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos.
In 2013, Bezos bought The Washington Post, which has been particularly strong at investigating both Trump the candidate and Trump the president.
Trump has a history of repeatedly unleashing his disaccord for the retail giant and the American newspaper on Twitter.
The #AmazonWashingtonPost, sometimes referred to as the guardian of Amazon not paying internet taxes (which they should) is FAKE NEWS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 28, 2017
Bezos himself hasn't hesitated from criticizing Trump. In fact, he responded to Trump’s first attack by offering him a one-way trip to space.
Moreover, there were trolls on Twitter suggesting the fact Bezos is richer than Trump has made the president sour.
Amazon CEO/Founder Jeff Bezos Net Worth: $120.1 Billion
— Brian Krassenstein?? (@krassenstein) April 1, 2018
Trump's net worth including all the illegal money he laundered for Russia: $3.1 Billion
Now you know why Trump attacks Amazon and Jeff Bezos, besides him owning the Washington Post.
Both Trump and Bernie Sanders attacking Amazon for being too successful. Feels bad, man.
— Julie Borowski (@JulieBorowski) April 1, 2018
This only bolsters suspicions that Trump’s flip-flop on stances about Amazon, by publicly bashing it and privately using it, could be prompted by his personal vendetta against Bezos. Or knowing how controversial his tweets are, he wanted to distract the world from other pressing issues — like the alleged collusion with Russia, his alleged affairs or war of words with North Korea — by turning to Twitter to take the heat off him.
People bashed the president for choosing to talk about Amazon in face of other grave issues.
I'm perfectly open to criticism of Amazon for predatory pricing, etc.--but it's interesting that Facebook is used by Russia to interfere in our election, and Trump's focus is all on Amazon.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 31, 2018
Trump tried to put Amazon on blast, yet his 2016 campaign relied on Amazon for his supplies. He spent over $150,000 according to FEC records. Trump's problem with Amazon has zero to do with the US Postal Service. It's a personal vendetta against Jeff Bezos and Washington Post.
— Carlos (@blazingxmexican) April 2, 2018
However, the White House has insisted Trump's criticism of Amazon is strictly policy related.
Banner Image Credits: REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker
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