Dec 9, 2019

Amazon claims Trump improperly pressured Pentagon to deny cloud contract

Jeff Bezos. Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Amazon

Amazon Web Services — which is suing the Pentagon after it selected Microsoft for a massive cloud computing contract — has filed a complaint alleging that President Trump pressured the agency to keep the $10 billion JEDI contract from Amazon and Jeff Bezos.

The big picture: The contract has become a flash point between Amazon and Trump, who has singled out the tech giant and mentioned the JEDI contract in tweets and private conversations. The complaint alleges that Trump “launched repeated public and behind-the-scenes attacks" to steer the contract away from "his perceived political enemy," Jeff Bezos.

The filing contends: “Rarely, if ever, has a President engaged in such a blatant and sustained effort to direct the outcome of a government procurement — let alone because of personal animus and political objectives.”
The Pentagon says it was not influenced by outside factors in its decision-making.

Read the filing.

Go deeper

Rebecca Falconer

Updated 4 mins ago - Politics & Policy

The latest: George Floyd protests nationwide

Police officers wearing riot gear push back demonstrators outside of the White House on Monday. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Protests over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black people continued for a seventh day across the U.S., with President Trump threatening on Monday to deploy the military if the unrest continues.

The latest: Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser criticized federal police in a tweet Monday night for using munitions earlier in the day "on peaceful protestors in front of the White House, an act that will make the job of (DC Police Department) officers more difficult." "Shameful!" she added as she urged residents to go home and stay safe.

Go deeper (2 min. read)

Dave Lawler

3 hours ago - World

The world watches America burn

Newspaper front pages via the Newseum

The world is watching the grief and anger, violence and pain in America's streets.

The big picture: The U.S. accounts for nearly one-third of the world's deaths from COVID-19. The killing of a black man, George Floyd, by police has sparked days of protest and nights of chaos in America's major cities.

Go deeper (2 min. read)

Alayna Treene, Alexi McCammond

3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Trump walks to historic St. John's Church outside White House as protests rage

President Trump walked to the historic St. John’s Episcopal Church, located just steps away from the White House across Lafayette Park, on Monday night as protests linked to the murder of George Floyd raged across the capital and cities around the country.

What we're seeing: Military police and park rangers used physical force and tear gas on peaceful protestors to clear the area so that Trump could "pay respects" to the church that was damaged by a fire on Sunday.

Go deeper (1 min. read)