‘Obsessed’ Trump savages Amazon on Twitter

Less than 24 hours after a report claimed he was obsessed with Amazon, Donald Trump has attacked the e-commerce giant on social media.

He tweeted: ‘I have stated my concerns with Amazon long before the Election. Unlike others, they pay little or no taxes to state & local governments, use our Postal System as their Delivery Boy (causing tremendous loss to the U.S.), and are putting many thousands of retailers out of business!’

Amazon shares plunged yesterday, wiping about $53.6 billion from its market value, following publication of an article on the Axios website. Citing five different sources, this claimed that, whilst Capitol Hill is gunning for Facebook, Trump isn’t interested and instead has his sights set on Amazon.

“Trump has talked about changing the company’s tax treatment because he’s worried about mom-and-pop retailers being put out of business,” the report states. “A source who’s spoken to POTUS says: ‘He’s wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law’…Trump's wealthy friends tell him Amazon is destroying their businesses."

Social media feuds are, of course, Trump's favourite thing in the world and he has picked a fight with Amazon before. Last year, he tweeted, "Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the US are being hurt - many jobs being lost!" And he has also slammed The Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, labelling it the Amazon Washington Post.