President Trump wants to use antitrust laws in order to go after Amazon, a company he’s recently had in the forefront in his mind as a problem in the business world.
“[Trump’s] obsessed with Amazon,” a source said. “Obsessed.”
A source told Axios Trump is talking about changing Amazon’s tax treatment because he’s worried about “mom-and-pop” shops being put out of business.
“He’s wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law,” according to a source who spoke with the president.
Trump’s wealthy friends have influenced his decision by telling him Amazon is destroying their businesses. He agrees with his real estate counterparts that say Amazon is contributing to the death of shopping malls and brick-and-mortar storefronts.
“The whole post office thing, that’s very much a perception he has,” another source said. “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.”
Trump’s focus on Amazon is a stark departure from the rest of Washington’s focus on Facebook in the wake of revelations about that company’s issues with protecting its users’ data.
Another indicator of Trump’s focus on Amazon and disinterest in Facebook comes from the absence of comment regarding Facebook and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
The report pointed out Trump told Axios last year he doesn’t mind Facebook because it helps him reach his audience.
