Jeff Bezos thanks Amazon employees for funding his space trip, receives backlash

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos on Tuesday, July 20 successfully completed an 11-minute trip into space onboard a rocket built by his company Blue Origin.

He addressed a conference after his brief trip into space, during which he thanked the workers of Amazon for “paying” for his trip. The well-intended gratitude has failed to resonate with the Netizens who accused Bezos of being tone-deaf.

During a news conference, after becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride in his own spacecraft, wrote, “I want to thank every Amazon employee, and every Amazon customer because you guys paid for all this.”

The statement stirred a backlash on the internet as people pointed out reports claiming inhumane working conditions and lack of breaks that Amazon workers are forced to work under.