(May 20, 2026) The Amazon founder and Washington Post owner praised the president during a CNBC appearance, drawing fresh criticism from those who say he has grown too close to the administration.
Jeff Bezos offered some of his most effusive praise yet for President Donald Trump on Wednesday, describing him as a “more mature, more disciplined version” of himself compared to his first term in office — comments that are likely to intensify scrutiny of the Amazon founder’s increasingly warm relationship with the White House.
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box with anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bezos was asked to reflect on his views of Trump given the turbulence of the past two years — wars, sweeping tariffs, and a series of domestic political battles that have reshaped the country’s institutional landscape.
“I’m comparing him to his first term,” Bezos said, “and I think he is a more mature, more disciplined version of himself than he was in his first term.”
It was not the first time Bezos had offered that assessment. When Sorkin reminded him that he had described Trump as “mellowed” and “calmer” in a previous interview shortly after the 2024 election, Bezos did not hesitate. “I still think that,” he interjected.
Bezos was careful to frame his praise in nonpartisan terms, presenting himself as a pragmatic business leader willing to work with any administration. “I’ve worked with all the presidents, I will work with all the presidents,” he said, adding that he still calls former President Obama for advice. “He’s a very smart guy.”
“I’m on the side of America,” Bezos continued. “That is so important. And that’s where business leaders should be.”
On Trump specifically, Bezos said the president deserved recognition for his record. “Trump has thought some good ideas, and he has done a lot — he’s been right about a lot of things, and you have to give him credit where credit is due.”
The remarks come at a sensitive moment for Bezos, who has faced sustained criticism from liberals and press freedom advocates over his stewardship of the Washington Post. Last year, on the same day he dined with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Bezos announced that the Post would restrict its opinion pages to pieces focused on two themes: personal liberties and free markets. The announcement prompted more than 400 Post journalists to sign an open letter to Bezos expressing alarm over the paper’s political direction.
Critics have pointed to a pattern of accommodation toward the Trump administration by some of the country’s most powerful business figures, with Bezos seen as one of the most prominent examples of that shift.
Wednesday’s interview is unlikely to quiet those concerns.