Following a rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, Jeff Bezos broke a nearly nine-month hiatus on social media to commend former President Donald Trump for his grace and courage during the incident. Bezos expressed gratitude for Trump's safety and extended condolences to the victims and their families. This gesture is significant given the history of a public feud between the two prominent figures.
In 2019, Trump had derisively referred to Bezos as 'Jeff Bozo' and criticized him amid Bezos's divorce proceedings with MacKenzie Scott. Trump also disparaged The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. The tension between the two escalated further when Amazon lost a $10-billion contract with the Department of Defense to Microsoft. Amazon attributed the loss to Trump's alleged attacks on the company and Bezos, as outlined in a federal complaint.
The shooting incident in Pennsylvania prompted swift condemnation from various Big Tech figures, with Bezos and Andy Jassy, Amazon's CEO, expressing sorrow for the victims' families and relief for Trump's safety. Jassy described the events as 'awful' and conveyed hopes for a quick recovery for the former president.
The Department of Defense subsequently canceled the contract with Microsoft in 2021 and pursued a multi-cloud deal involving both Amazon and Microsoft. Despite the history of animosity between Trump and Bezos, Bezos's acknowledgment of Trump's conduct during the rally shooting underscores a moment of unity in the face of tragedy.
