Fox News anchor Shepard Smith on Tuesday fact-checked President Trump’s claim that the U.S. Postal Service was losing large amounts of money because Amazon was using it to deliver packages at low cost.
“The Post Office is losing billions of dollars, and the taxpayers are paying for that money because it delivers packages for Amazon at a very below cost,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday.
{mosads}”That’s not fair to the United States, and it’s not fair to out taxpayers, and Amazon has the money to pay the fair rate at the Post Office,” he continued.
Trump went on to say the Post Office “loses $1.47 on every package” it delivers on behalf of Amazon.
Smith responded to each of Trump’s claims on Tuesday.
“The Postal Service’s own numbers show it makes money by delivering packages for Amazon and other companies. As for taxpayers, the Post Office’s own website points out, and I quote, ‘The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses.’ None,” Smith said.
“And a reference to that $1.47 the president came up with there? A Citigroup study last year showed on average that the Postal Service was charging a $1.46 below market rates for package delivery, but our researchers point out if that discount exists, it’s not just for Amazon, it’s a bulk-rate discount,” he continued.
“There is a great deal of confusion, or something, here regarding Amazon and the Post Office because none of that, none of that was true,” Smith told Fox News White House correspondent John Roberts.
Trump has taken aim at the retail giant on Twitter this week, resulting in the company’s stock dropping this week.