Washington is furious about Facebook, but Trump is reportedly 'obsessed' with Amazon


Congress may be hauling in Facebook executives for grilling about privacy safeguards, but Mark Zuckerberg apparently has nothing to fear from President Trump. Instead, five sources tell Axios, Trump is raring to go after Amazon. "He's obsessed with Amazon," a source said. "Obsessed." Vice President Mike Pence is reportedly concerned about the power Facebook and Google wield, but Trump has mused about changing Amazon's tax status and "wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law," a source who has spoken with Trump tells Axios.
Trump has been publicly critical of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' ownership of The Washington Post, but privately he is more focused on how the online marketplace is affecting brick-and-mortar businesses — and, oddly, the U.S. Postal Service. "The whole post office thing, that's very much a perception he has," another source tells Axios. "It's been explained to him in multiple meetings that his perception is inaccurate and that the post office actually makes a ton of money from Amazon." This isn't Trump's only misperception — The New York Times' Maggie Haberman said Tuesday that Trump similarly continues "to rail privately about the omnibus bill, and has become convinced of things that aren't true about it," something White House officials attribute to his Fox News viewership.
Trump isn't alone in believing that Amazon is harming more traditional retailers, but he has some loud voices influencing his views on the matter, Jonathan Swan reports. "Trump's wealthy friends tell him Amazon is destroying their businesses. His real estate buddies tell him — and he agrees — that Amazon is killing shopping malls and brick-and-mortar retailers." Trump would "love to clip CEO Jeff Bezos' wings," Swan adds, "but he doesn't have a plan to make that happen." Still, as they say: Where there's a will, there's probably someone willing to sell a way on Amazon.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Is this the end for India's Maoist insurgency?
Under The Radar Narendra Modi clamps down on Naxalite jungle rebels in move some see as attempt to seize mineral wealth
-
Discrimination: Expanding the definition
Feature The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a straight woman who sued her gay boss for discrimination
-
Crime: Why murder rates are plummeting
Feature Despite public fears, murder rates have dropped nationwide for the third year in a row
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores