(Photo: 2012 photo by Joe Klamar, AFP/Getty Images) 
 
 Amazon will create 100,000 full-time jobs in the United States with full benefits over the next 18 months, the tech giant announced in a statement Thursday. "These jobs are not just in our Seattle headquarters or in Silicon Valley -- they're in our customer service network, fulfillment centers and other facilities in local communities throughout the country," Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder and CEO, said in a statement. Bezos, for his part, returned fire by accusing the candidate of "eroding our democracy" and joking about sending him into space with one of his Blue Origin rockets. Shortly after Trump won the election, Bezos appeared to make amends, offering his congratulations on Twitter. "I for one give him my most open mind and wish him great success in his service to the country," he tweeted. Last week, Alibaba Group Executive Chairman Jack Ma met with Trump, saying Alibaba will create 1 million jobs in the U.S. by allowing small businesses to sell goods to Chinese and Asian consumers through the tech giant's platform.
– Amazon is creating 100,000 new full-time jobs in the US, mostly for positions answering phones or working in warehouses, over the next year and a half, CNN reports. That will bring the company's total workforce up to 280,000. Amazon made the announcement Thursday, and the Trump team quickly moved to take some credit for it, with incoming press secretary Sean Spicer says Trump "was pleased to have played a role" in the decision. Amazon would likely have added the jobs regardless of who's moving into the White House: It's growing rapidly and building new warehouses in Florida, Texas, New Jersey, and California, according to USA Today. The company grew from 30,000 employees in 2011 to 180,000 employees in 2016.