The contract was awarded to Microsoft in late October after Esper announced he would “reexamine” the Pentagon’s approach to JEDI. Just before Esper’s review, the president said in televised remarks that he had received “tremendous complaints” from Amazon’s competitors, citing Microsoft, Oracle and IBM.
Amazon alleges the surprise award to Microsoft was tainted by “repeated public and behind-the-scenes attacks” from Trump.
“President Trump has repeatedly demonstrated his willingness to use his position as President and Commander in Chief to interfere with government functions — including federal procurements — to advance his personal agenda,” Amazon Web Services spokesman Drew Herdener said in a statement Monday.
“The preservation of public confidence in the nation’s procurement process requires discovery and supplementation of the administrative record, particularly in light of President Trump’s order to ‘screw Amazon.’ The question is whether the President of the United States should be allowed to use the budget of the DoD to pursue his own personal and political ends.”
