Editing Jeff Bezos (section)

== Politics ==
[[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi presenting the USIBC Global Leadership Award to Mr. Jeff Bezos, in Washington DC, USA on June 07, 2016.jpg|thumb|Indian Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] presenting the USIBC Global Leadership Award to Bezos, in Washington, D.C. on June 7, 2016]]
[[File:Prime Minister Boris Johnson UNGA visit (51786182369).jpg|thumb|right|British Prime Minister [[Boris Johnson]] meets with Bezos during the United Nations General Assembly, in New York City on September 20, 2021.]]
According to public [[Campaign finance in the United States|campaign finance records]], Bezos supported the electoral campaigns of [[Patty Murray]] and [[Maria Cantwell]], two [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] U.S. senators from Washington. He has also supported Democrats U.S. representative [[John Conyers]], as well as [[Patrick Leahy]] and Republican [[Spencer Abraham]], U.S. senators serving on committees dealing with Internet-related issues.<ref name="Sullivan">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/08/07/the-politics-of-jeff-bezos |title=The politics of Jeff Bezos |last=Sullivan |first=Sean |date=August 7, 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |issn=0190-8286 |access-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-date=March 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307152855/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/08/07/the-politics-of-jeff-bezos/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos have supported the legalization of [[same-sex marriage]], and in 2012 contributed $2.5&nbsp;million to [[Washington United for Marriage]], a group supporting a yes vote on [[Washington Referendum 74]], which affirmed a same-sex marriage law enacted in the state.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-gaymarriage-bezos-idUSBRE86R01320120728 |title=Amazon's Jeff Bezos, wife, make $2.5&nbsp;million donation for gay marriage |last=Porterfield |first=Elaine |date=July 28, 2012 |access-date=August 23, 2013 |work=Reuters |archive-date=August 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815022336/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/28/us-usa-gaymarriage-bezos-idUSBRE86R01320120728 |url-status=live }}</ref> Bezos donated $100,000 towards a movement against a Washington [[state income tax]] in 2010 for "top earners".<ref name="Sullivan" /> In 2012, he donated to Amazon's [[political action committee]] (PAC),<ref name="Sullivan" /> which has given $56,000 and $74,500 to Democrats and Republicans, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00360354&cycle=2012 |title=Amazon.com Contributions to Federal Candidates, 2012 cycles |publisher=[[OpenSecrets]] |archive-date=March 8, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308041618/http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00360354&cycle=2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2014, Amazon won a bid for a [[cloud computing]] contract with the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] valued at $600&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/why-amazons-collaboration_b_4824854.html|title=Why Amazon's collaboration with the CIA is so ominous – and vulnerable|first=Norman|last=Solomon|newspaper=HuffPost|date=February 20, 2014|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=August 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807022453/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/norman-solomon/why-amazons-collaboration_b_4824854.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A 2018, $10&nbsp;billion contract known as the [[Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure]] (JEDI) project, this time with the [[United States Department of Defense|Pentagon]], was allegedly written up in a way that favors Amazon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://federalnewsradio.com/contractsawards/2018/08/dods-10b-cloud-contract-comes-under-protest-11-days-after-final-rfp/|title=DoD's $10B cloud contract comes under protest 11 days after final RFP|first=Jason|last=Miller|publisher=Federal News Radio|date=August 7, 2018|access-date=October 21, 2018|archive-date=September 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923163309/https://federalnewsradio.com/contractsawards/2018/08/dods-10b-cloud-contract-comes-under-protest-11-days-after-final-rfp/|url-status=live}}</ref> Controversy over this was raised when General [[James Mattis]] accepted a headquarters tour invitation from Bezos and co-ordinated the deal through Sally Donnelly, a lobbyist who previously worked for Amazon.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/08/has-bezos-become-more-powerful-in-dc-than-trump|title="Everybody immediately knew that it was for Amazon": Has Bezos become more powerful in DC than Trump?|first=May|last=Jeong|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=August 13, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=August 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821034524/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/08/has-bezos-become-more-powerful-in-dc-than-trump|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2019, when the contract was awarded to Microsoft instead, Amazon filed a lawsuit with allegations that the bidding process was biased.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/oct/26/microsoft-wins-pentagons-10bn-cloud-computing-contract|title=Microsoft wins Pentagon's $10bn cloud computing contract|newspaper=The Guardian|date=October 26, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019|archive-date=November 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118022426/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/oct/26/microsoft-wins-pentagons-10bn-cloud-computing-contract|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/14/amazon-sues-pentagon-microsoft-contract-071001|title=Amazon suing Pentagon over $10B cloud contract, alleging 'bias'|first1=Jacqueline|last1=Feldscher|first2=Steven|last2=Overly|work=Politico|date=November 14, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019|archive-date=November 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115043517/https://www.politico.com/news/2019/11/14/amazon-sues-pentagon-microsoft-contract-071001|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 6, 2021, the Pentagon cancelled the JEDI contract with Microsoft, citing that "due to evolving requirements, increased cloud conversancy, and industry advances, the JEDI Cloud contract no longer meets its needs."<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Macias |first1=Amanda |last2=Feiner |first2=Lauren |date=July 6, 2021 |title=Pentagon cancels $10 billion JEDI cloud contract that Amazon and Microsoft were fighting over |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/06/pentagon-cancels-10-billion-jedi-cloud-contract.html |access-date=July 6, 2021 |publisher=CNBC |language=en |archive-date=July 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210706163909/https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/06/pentagon-cancels-10-billion-jedi-cloud-contract.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite Bezos's support for an open borders policy towards immigrants, Amazon has actively marketed facial recognition software to [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]] (ICE).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/amazon-pushes-ice-to-buy-its-face-recognition-surveillance-tech|title=Amazon Pushes ICE to Buy Its Face Recognition Surveillance Tech|first=Jake|last=Laperruque|website=The Daily Beast|date=October 23, 2018|access-date=October 23, 2018|archive-date=October 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181023141902/https://www.thedailybeast.com/amazon-pushes-ice-to-buy-its-face-recognition-surveillance-tech|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2019, a [[political action committee|PAC]] linked to Bezos spent over $1&nbsp;million in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the reelection bid of Seattle city council member and activist [[Kshama Sawant]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/amazons-growing-spending-on-seattle-politics-includes-a-spate-of-donations-from-jeff-bezos-s-team/|title=Amazon's growing spending on Seattle politics includes a spate of donations from Jeff Bezos' 'S Team'|first1=Jim|last1=Brunner|first2=Benjamin|last2=Romano|work=The Seattle Times|date=October 20, 2019|access-date=November 21, 2019|archive-date=December 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211185519/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/amazons-growing-spending-on-seattle-politics-includes-a-spate-of-donations-from-jeff-bezos-s-team/|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 22, 2021, Jeff Bezos donated $100&nbsp;million to the [[Obama Foundation]] to "help expand the scope of programming that reaches emerging leaders", and requested the [[Obama Presidential Center]]'s plaza to be named after [[John Lewis]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Bezos donates $100M to the Obama Foundation in honor of Congressman John Lewis|url=https://www.obama.org/updates/bezos-donation-2021/|access-date=November 23, 2021|website=Obama Foundation|language=en|archive-date=November 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123010856/https://www.obama.org/updates/bezos-donation-2021/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeff Bezos donates to Obama Foundation in honor of John Lewis|date=November 22, 2021|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/jeff-bezos-donates-obama-foundation-honor-john-lewis-n1284413|access-date=November 23, 2021|publisher=NBC News|language=en|archive-date=November 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123012051/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/jeff-bezos-donates-obama-foundation-honor-john-lewis-n1284413|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Donald Trump ===
After the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]], Bezos was invited to join [[Donald Trump]]'s [[Defense Innovation Advisory Board]], an advisory council to improve the technology used by the [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]].<ref name="Davenport" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/02/investing/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-billionaires-warren-buffett/index.html|title=The Hillary Clinton billionaires club|publisher=CNN|date=August 2, 2016|last=La Monica|first=Paul R.|access-date=August 3, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806193619/https://money.cnn.com/2016/08/02/investing/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-billionaires-warren-buffett/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Trump has repeatedly criticized Bezos [[Donald Trump on Twitter|via Twitter]], accused Bezos of avoiding [[corporate tax]]es, gaining undue political influence, and undermining his presidency by spreading "[[fake news]]".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fortune.com/2017/06/28/donald-trump-twitter-jeff-bezos|title=How to Understand Donald Trump's #AmazonWashingtonPost Tweet in 3 Easy Steps|last=Abramson|first=Alana|website=Fortune|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=March 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310010150/http://fortune.com/2017/06/28/donald-trump-twitter-jeff-bezos/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/slammed-by-trump-amazons-jeff-bezos-chooses-the-silent-treatment-1523282400|title=Slammed by Trump, Amazon's Jeff Bezos Chooses Silence|last1=Stevens|first1=Laura|date=April 9, 2018|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=April 9, 2018|last2=Nicholas|first2=Peter|archive-date=April 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409145543/https://www.wsj.com/articles/slammed-by-trump-amazons-jeff-bezos-chooses-the-silent-treatment-1523282400|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/02/why-jeff-bezos-is-pouring-amazon-cash-into-trumps-swamp|title=Why Jeff Bezos Is Dumping Cash into Trump's Swamp|last=Kosoff|first=Maya|website=The Hive|date=February 14, 2018|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=August 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190821184147/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/02/why-jeff-bezos-is-pouring-amazon-cash-into-trumps-swamp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/07/donald-trump-called-out-jeff-bezos-on-twitter-then-bezos-called-his-bluff|title=Donald Trump called out Jeff Bezos on Twitter. Then Bezos called his bluff.|last=Cillizza|first=Chris|date=December 7, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|issn=0190-8286|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=March 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309182728/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/12/07/donald-trump-called-out-jeff-bezos-on-twitter-then-bezos-called-his-bluff/|url-status=live}}</ref> Nevertheless, Bezos congratulated Trump on his [[2024 United States presidential election|second election victory]], posting on X, “Big congratulations to our 45th and now 47th President on an extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory. No nation has bigger opportunities. Wishing Donald Trump all success in leading and uniting the America we all love”.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/06/media/jeff-bezos-congratulates-trump-victory-amazon-post/index.html|title=Jeff Bezos congratulates Trump for 'extraordinary political comeback and decisive victory'|last=Reilly|first=Liam|website=CNN|date=November 6, 2024|access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref>

Bezos has been a resident of [[Indian Creek, Florida]] since 2023, which is near Trump's [[Mar-a-Lago]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-homes/most-expensive-miami-home-sales-c85bafe1|title=Billionaire Buyers Like Jeff Bezos Have Supercharged Miami's High-End Home Market|first1=Katherine|last1=Clarke|website=The Wall Street Journal|quote=The Amazon founder’s $68 million Indian Creek purchase is among the priciest deals to close in the South Florida city in recent years|date=August 21, 2023|access-date=2025-03-01}}</ref>

As reported by ''[[Axios (website)|Axios]]'' in February 2025, Bezos held a private phone conversation in July 2024 with then-candidate Donald Trump, planting the seeds of a "Bezos-Trump alliance" months before Bezos [[News media endorsements in the 2024 United States presidential election#Suppression of Harris endorsements|blocked the ''Washington Post''{{'}}s editorial board]] from endorsing Kamala Harris in the election.<ref name="Isenstadt">{{cite web | last=Isenstadt | first=Alex | title=The inside story of how the Bezos-Trump alliance began | website=Axios | date=2025-02-27 | url=https://www.axios.com/2025/02/27/jeff-bezos-trump-tech-alliance | access-date=2025-03-01}}</ref> After Trump's November victory, Bezos dined with [[Elon Musk]] and Trump at [[Mar-a-Lago]]; Amazon subsequently donated $1 million to [[Second inauguration of Donald Trump|Trump's inauguration]], at which Bezos was in attendance.<ref name="Isenstadt"/> Bezos and Trump were reported to have met for dinner again in February 2025, on the same night that Bezos announced [[The Washington Post#Suppression of views Bezos disfavors|changes to the ''Washington Post's'' opinion policies]] to promote "free markets and personal liberties" and suppress divergent opinions.<ref name="Amos">{{cite web | last=Amos | first=Jaden | title=Trump says he had dinner with Bezos week of Washington Post changes | website=Axios | date=2025-02-28 | url=https://www.axios.com/2025/02/28/trump-jeff-bezos-dinner-spectator-interview | access-date=2025-03-01}}</ref> ''Axios'' characterized it as "another sign of Trump and Bezos' growing closeness."<ref name="Amos"/>

According to the ''[[Financial Times]]'', Bezos had a contentious relationship with Trump during Trump's first term, but worked to have a positive relationship with Trump in 2024 and during [[Second presidency of Donald Trump|Trump's second term]]. Bezos reportedly supported Trump to further his business interests, and supports many of Trump's policies. The ''Financial Times'' also noted that Bezos had made other changes in his life, including stepping down as CEO of Amazon in 2021, focusing on [[Blue Origin]], and being engaged to [[Lauren Sánchez]], which may have changed his political views.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/00e81e1a-a38f-4d45-89e8-0e8c162572b8|title=How Jeff Bezos made peace with Donald Trump|quote=In the past year, the Amazon founder has executed a sharp public reversal in his relationship with the president that has surprised even longtime associates|website=The Financial Times|date=March 19, 2025|first1=Anna|last1=Nicolaou|first2=Stephen|last2=Morris|first3=Rafe|last3=Uddin|first4=Alex|last4=Rogers|access-date=March 19, 2025}}</ref>

=== Saudi hacking claim ===
{{Main|Jeff Bezos phone hacking incident}}
In March 2018, Bezos met in Seattle with [[Mohammad bin Salman]], the crown prince and de facto ruler of [[Saudi Arabia]], to discuss investment opportunities for [[Saudi Vision 2030]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1276676/saudi-arabia|title=Saudi crown prince meets Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in Seattle|newspaper=Arab News|date=March 31, 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523171558/http://www.arabnews.com/node/1276676/saudi-arabia|archive-date=May 23, 2018}}</ref> In March 2019, Bezos's security consultant accused the Saudi government of [[Phone hacking|hacking]] Bezos's phone. According to BBC, Bezos's top security staffer, [[Gavin de Becker]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Chozick |first1=Amy |title=He's Come Undone |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/business/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-amazon-hollywood.html |work=The New York Times |date=March 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224054211/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/business/jeff-bezos-lauren-sanchez-amazon-hollywood.html |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |page=1(L) | id={{Gale|A576639749}}}}</ref> "linked the hack to the ''Washington Post''{{'}}s coverage of the murder of Saudi writer [[Jamal Khashoggi]] at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul". Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and dissident was employed as a writer at the ''Washington Post'', owned by Bezos. Khashoggi was killed in late 2018 in Turkey's Saudi consulate for his critical stance and journalism against the Saudi government and its leader.<ref>{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia 'hacked Amazon boss's phone', says investigator|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47763179|work=BBC News|date=March 31, 2019|access-date=May 9, 2019|archive-date=April 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411133518/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47763179|url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2020, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported that the hack was initiated before the murder but after Khashoggi wrote critically about the crown prince in the ''Washington Post''. Forensic analysis of Bezos's mobile phone conducted by advisory firm [[FTI Consulting]], concluded it "highly probable" that the hack was achieved using a malicious file hidden in a video sent in a [[WhatsApp]] message to Bezos from the personal account of the crown prince on May 1, 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/21/amazon-boss-jeff-bezoss-phone-hacked-by-saudi-crown-prince|title=Jeff Bezos hack: Amazon boss's phone 'hacked by Saudi crown prince'|first=Stephanie|last=Kirchgaessner|newspaper=The Guardian|date=January 22, 2020|access-date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=February 29, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229191904/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jan/21/amazon-boss-jeff-bezoss-phone-hacked-by-saudi-crown-prince|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/technology/jeff-bezos-hack-iphone.html|title=How Jeff Bezos' iPhone X Was Hacked|access-date=January 22, 2020|website=The New York Times|date=January 22, 2020|archive-date=January 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200123001012/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/technology/jeff-bezos-hack-iphone.html|url-status=live|last1=Frenkel|first1=Sheera}}</ref> Saudi Arabia has denied the claim.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51171400 |title=Jeff Bezos hack: Saudi Arabia calls claim 'absurd' |date=January 22, 2020 |work=BBC News|access-date=January 22, 2020|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200122090908/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51171400|archive-date=January 22, 2020}}</ref>