Politics

Trump attacked Amazon for not paying enough taxes — but his own online store reportedly collects sales tax from only 2 states

Key Points
  • The Trump Organization collects sales taxes in only two states: Florida and Louisiana, The Wall Street Journal reported.
  • The report comes as Trump attacks online retailer Amazon, claiming the company pays little or no taxes to state and local governments.
A detail from the TrumpStore.com
Source: TrumpStore.com

President Donald Trump has been accusing online retailer Amazon of paying and collecting few state and local taxes, but his own company's online store collects sales taxes in just two states, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

Although the Trump Organization is based in New York, TrumpStore.com collects sales taxes only in Florida and Louisiana, the Journal reported.

The website sells Trump-branded apparel and gifts, including $35 baseball caps, $20 body lotions, $50 blankets – and $36 Trump toddler polo shirts.

"Trumpstore.com has always, and will continue to collect, report, and remit sales taxes in jurisdictions where it has an obligation to do so," a Trump Organization representative told CNBC.

Treasury Secretary Mnuchin: Amazon practices 'unfair relative to other retailers'
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Treasury Secretary Mnuchin: Amazon practices 'unfair relative to other retailers'

Currently, online retailers are only required to collect sales taxes in states where they have a physical presence. The Trump administration filed a brief with the Supreme Court in March that argued retailers should have to collect sales taxes even in states where they aren't physically present. The top court will hear arguments on the issue later this month.

A spokeswoman for the White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.

The WSJ report follows the president's recent social media rampage against Amazon, claiming that the online retail giant pays "little or no taxes to state & local governments."

Trump tweet 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!

Trump has frequently targeted the company of CEO Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, which Trump has falsely claimed to be a "lobbyist" for Amazon.

Trump's most recent salvo alleged that Amazon's use of the United States Postal Service cost the government agency billions of dollars. Trump also claimed that the "Fake Washington Post" is used as the company's lobbyist "and should so REGISTER."

Trump tweet While we are on the subject, it is reported that the U.S. Post Office will lose $1.50 on average for each package it delivers for Amazon. That amounts to Billions of Dollars. The Failing N.Y. Times reports that "the size of the company's lobbying staff has ballooned," and that...

Trump tweet ...does not include the Fake Washington Post, which is used as a "lobbyist" and should so REGISTER. If the P.O. "increased its parcel rates, Amazon's shipping costs would rise by $2.6 Billion." This Post Office scam must stop. Amazon must pay real costs (and taxes) now!

A White House spokeswoman said Trump has been referring to taxes collected by third-party sellers on Amazon.com. The company collects taxes on sales of its own inventory in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

Read the full report from the Wall Street Journal

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