Amazon shrugs off Trump's tweets

Source: Politico | April 4, 2018 | Marianne Levine, Theodoric Meyer and Steven Overly

‘The Amazon corporate mentality is that this is more about the [Washington] Post and Bezos as a person,’ one lobbyist close to the company said.

Amazon’s response to President Donald Trump’s tweets: Ignore him.

The online retail giant has been lying low since Trump heightened his attacks this past week, feeling disinclined to respond to what the company views as the president’s personal vendetta against one of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ other properties, The Washington Post, people familiar with Amazon’s strategy said.

“They’re operating as if there isn’t tweeting going on,” a Republican lobbyist close to Amazon said. “The Amazon corporate mentality is that this is more about the Post and Bezos as a person than the company, and Amazon can’t do a lot about what The Washington Post does.”

Amazon has been known to push back aggressively against damaging news coverage. When The New York Times in 2015 published a critical report about its work culture, a top official took to TV and wrote a 1,300 word essay critiquing the story.

But so far, the public response to Trump’s tweets has been mostly silence.

“We have not commented on this so far, as you know,” said Amazon spokeswoman Jill Kerr, declining a POLITICO request to speak with a top official in Washington. “I will certainly let you know if we change our approach.”

Multiple Hill offices that have worked with Amazon in the past told POLITICO they had not heard from the company about the tweets.

……..

No members of Congress have joined Trump in denouncing Amazon in recent days, perhaps in part because Amazon employs people in many of their districts. With its network of warehouses and distribution centers, Amazon counts employees in 46 states. An Amazon reception last year for members of Congress with Amazon jobs in their districts drew more than 20 lawmakers.

Any presidential effort to take action against Amazon could also backfire with the company’s millions of customers.

Those customers include “voters of both parties in every state,” Michael Beckerman, the president and chief executive of the Internet Association, a Washington trade group that counts Amazon among its members, said in a statement. Amazon’s “low prices and free shipping unite Republicans and Democrats, living in red states and blue states.”

…….

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Discussion
  • Consistent #22796

    EVERYDAY #22799

    Actually, it is a good idea not to engage the little boy in a public forum like the media or on social media. If the bully’s antics result in lasting damage or he tries to use government agencies such as the IRS or SEC to shut down Amazon. then Bezos should fight him in court.

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.