Amazon founder Jeff Bezos offered a glowing assessment of President Trump's second-term performance during a Wednesday interview with CNBC's Squawk Box, calling the president a “more mature, more disciplined version of himself” compared to his first term. The remarks come as Trump faces record-low approval ratings amid ongoing economic and political turbulence.
Bezos, speaking from the Blue Origin Rocket Factory in Merritt Island, Florida, told reporter Andrew Ross Sorkin that Trump “has lots of good ideas” and has been “right about a lot of things.” He urged critics to “give him credit where credit is due,” signaling a notable shift in tone from the tech mogul, who has occasionally clashed with the president in the past.
The billionaire also noted that he still consults former President Barack Obama for advice, calling him “a very smart guy,” but emphasized his willingness to work with any administration. “We need our business leaders to provide input into the administration, regardless of who the president is,” Bezos said. “I’m on the side of America.”
Bezos’ comments come as his space company, Blue Origin, competes fiercely with Elon Musk’s SpaceX for lucrative government contracts and a leading role in the next era of space exploration. The executive underscored his past partnerships with both Democratic and Republican administrations, framing his approach as nonpartisan.
The interview also touched on Bezos’ controversial decision to lay off hundreds of employees at The Washington Post, which he purchased in 2013. When pressed by Sorkin on whether the newspaper should operate as a nonprofit trust, Bezos pushed back, arguing that profitability is a “measure of its relevance.” He added, “If people aren’t paying for our product, it’s not a good enough product.”
The Post lost roughly 250,000 subscribers after Bezos pulled the newspaper’s endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris just weeks before the 2024 election. Since then, Bezos has drawn closer to the White House. Amazon reportedly paid $40 million for the rights to Melania Trump’s documentary and an additional $35 million for promotion, raising eyebrows among Democratic lawmakers.
In a March letter to Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, Democratic lawmakers expressed concern that the deal amounted to an “apparent pay-to-play arrangement with the Trump administration.” They warned that “Amazon is seeking favorable treatment from the Trump Administration while paying a far-above-market sum to produce and promote the Trump family’s film,” questioning whether the company may have violated federal anti-bribery laws.
Adding to the ties, Amazon’s streaming service is reportedly considering a reboot of Trump’s former reality show, “The Apprentice,” with Donald Trump Jr. as the potential host. The development underscores the deepening relationship between Bezos’ business empire and the Trump family, even as the president faces plummeting GOP support over inflation and other domestic issues.
Bezos’ praise for Trump’s second-term discipline stands in stark contrast to the president’s broader approval struggles. Recent polls show Trump’s job approval at historic lows, with even Republican voters expressing growing unease over his leadership style and policy direction. Yet Bezos’ endorsement suggests that key figures in the business community remain willing to align with the administration, particularly as regulatory and contract decisions loom.
