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MSNBC has commented on a recent interaction between Donald Trump and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, suggesting that a communication of this nature would be unlikely to occur between former President Barack Obama and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Teddy Schleifer, a contributor at MSNBC who also reports on billionaires for the New York Times, described Trump’s call to Bezos as indicative of a “micro-scandal.”
“Picture any other president engaging in such a direct manner at any time in history; it raises questions about the nature of this interaction,” Schleifer stated on MSNBC. “It makes one wonder if Trump was literally sitting at the Resolute Desk, picking up his cellphone to contact Bezos personally. Given Bezos’ evident anxiety about the situation, he took the call, leading to a one-on-one discussion. This illustrates the chaotic landscape of corporate interaction with the White House today.”
He further remarked, “There’s a lack of traditional bureaucracy; it’s entirely direct. Bezos has valid concerns regarding Trump, while Trump has his reasons to be wary of an anonymously sourced report. Just a few hours later, this interaction evolves into a significant micro-scandal by Tuesday morning. Such a scenario would have been unimaginable between Apple and Barack Obama a decade ago.”
On Tuesday morning, news surfaced that Amazon was preparing to disclose how Trump’s recent tariffs affected product pricing. Following a few tense hours and the mentioned call, Trump reassured reporters that relations with Bezos were back on track.
“Jeff Bezos was very nice; he handled the situation quickly and appropriately. He’s a good guy,” Trump stated.
Subsequently, an Amazon representative dismissed the story about the pricing reveals, calling it false. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also criticized the report as a “hostile and political act.”
You can view the entire segment from MSNBC in the video above.
Source
www.thewrap.com