Bezos Defends Billionaires, Backs Lower-Income Tax Cut in CNBC Interview

CNBC reported Wednesday that Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos used a sweeping televised interview to defend wealthy Americans, champion artificial intelligence, and back a tax proposal that would eliminate income taxes for the lower half of U.S. earners.

Speaking with CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin, Bezos opened with an acknowledgment that many Americans are still struggling despite broader economic gains. He framed the moment as a divide between those doing well and those falling behind.

Bezos Backs Jeff Bezos Tax Cuts for Workers

Bezos proposed scrapping income taxes entirely for lower-wage Americans. He cited a nurse earning $75,000 a year who pays more than $12,000 annually in federal income tax as an example of misplaced burden. The idea echoes proposals floated by some progressive Democrats, though Bezos stopped well short of endorsing higher rates on top earners. He called that debate legitimate but objected to the hostility surrounding it.

He also pushed back hard on critics who accuse ultra-wealthy individuals of avoiding taxes altogether. Bezos said he pays billions of dollars in taxes each year. He argued that doubling his own tax bill would do little to improve conditions for ordinary workers.

A Defense of Billionaires and a Rebuke of Critics

Bezos took direct aim at what he called the political habit of targeting rich individuals as scapegoats. He criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for confrontational tactics used while announcing a new pied-a-terre tax, specifically calling out a video filmed outside Citadel CEO Ken Griffin’s residence. Bezos said Griffin had not harmed New York and did not deserve that treatment.

He also flatly rejected the so-called “buy, borrow, die” strategy, a method critics say allows billionaires to borrow against assets and avoid capital gains taxes. Bezos said he sells Amazon stock regularly and called the framing inaccurate.

Background: Billionaire Scrutiny Has Intensified

Public skepticism toward extreme wealth has grown significantly since the pandemic. Senator Elizabeth Warren and others have repeatedly pushed for wealth taxes targeting individuals like Bezos. That pressure has only increased as wealth concentration reached new highs through 2024 and 2025.

Bezos Praises Trump and Champions AI

Bezos described President Donald Trump as more measured and disciplined in his second term than in his first. He attributed economic difficulties more broadly to government overreach and excess spending rather than insufficient tax revenue from high earners. On artificial intelligence, Bezos was unambiguously bullish, though he offered few specifics.

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