President Trump’s personal phone call to Jeff Bezos shows how direct intervention is reshaping American corporate behavior under his tariff regime.
At a Glance
- Trump imposes 145% tariffs on Chinese imports
- Amazon drops plan to display tariff charges after Trump call
- Trump pushes 100% tariff on non-U.S. films
- Major brands cite tariff-related earnings hits
- UK and Australian leaders warn of trade fallout
Trump’s Personal Grip on Corporate Power
Donald Trump is not shy about calling the shots. Literally.
He called Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to push back on a business decision. Amazon had planned to show which products included tariff-related price increases. After the call, the plan was dropped. Trump later called Bezos “a very nice guy” and said he “took it off immediately,” according to DNYUZ.
This isn’t the first time Trump has phoned a CEO. “I’ll always call people if I disagree with them,” he said. He claims it’s about protecting the country. Critics say it’s about control.
Tariff Fallout Hits Film and Retail
Trump’s latest tariff wave hits hard. Chinese imports now face a 145% tariff. His team says the goal is to bring back U.S. manufacturing. But costs are rising. Retailers warn that shoppers will feel the pain.
Amazon’s scrapped plan for tariff transparency shows the tension. Trump wants loyalty from business leaders. Transparency may come second.
Trump also targeted Hollywood. He’s pushing a 100% tariff on films made abroad. His team says it’s about national security and keeping jobs in the U.S. That move drew fire overseas.
UK lawmaker Dame Caroline Dinenage warned it could damage U.S. investments in British studios, per The Guardian.
CEOs Sound the Alarm
Major corporations are feeling the impact. PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble reported that tariffs hurt their earnings. Higher import costs squeeze margins. Consumers could see the difference at checkout. These details were confirmed by NYT DealBook.
Despite this, Trump told a Michigan crowd his team is “ending the inflation nightmare.” He wants to show strength on trade. But the backlash is building.
Trump says his calls to CEOs are leadership. “Wouldn’t you want me to call?” he asked. But critics worry. Without transparency, voters may not know why prices jump—or who to blame.
