Trump slams Amazon for ‘putting many thousands of retailers out of business’

President Trump publicly criticized Amazon in a tweet on Thursday, citing his concerns with how the online retailer pays its taxes. 

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!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2018

The tweet comes after Axios reported on Wednesday that Trump wants to take aim at the retail giant, citing the company’s tax treatment. 

“He’s obsessed with Amazon,” a source told the outlet. “Obsessed.”

“He’s wondered aloud if there may be any way to go after Amazon with antitrust or competition law,” a source who spoke to Trump said, according to Axios. 

The president has reportedly cited the company’s treatment of the U.S. Postal Service.

“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.”

The president has also frequently taken aim at The Washington Post, which Amazon owner Jeff Bezos purchased in 2013. 

Amazon’s stock lost $50 billion in shareholder value on Wednesday after the report was published. 

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Wednesday that there were no announcements on Amazon. 

“We have no announcement and no specific policies we are pushing for,” she said. 

Trump previously lashed out at Amazon in a tweet last year. 

Amazon is doing great damage to tax paying retailers. Towns, cities and states throughout the U.S. are being hurt – many jobs being lost!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 16, 2017