History of Jeff Bezos in Timeline
Jeff Bezos is an American businessman renowned as the founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Amazon, a global leader in e-commerce and cloud computing. He is among the wealthiest individuals globally, with an estimated net worth exceeding $220 billion as of May 2025, according to Forbes. Bezos held the title of the world's richest person from 2017 to 2021, according to Forbes and Bloomberg, solidifying his status as a prominent figure in both the business and technology sectors.
1944: Birth of Ted Jorgensen
In 1944, Ted Jorgensen, Jeff Bezos's father, was born.
1946: Birth of Jacklyn (née Gise)
In 1946, Jacklyn (née Gise), Jeff Bezos's mother, was born.
January 12, 1964: Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen Born
On January 12, 1964, Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen, later known as Jeff Bezos, was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
June 1965: Divorce Filing
In June 1965, when Jeff Bezos was 17 months old, his mother, Jacklyn, filed for divorce from his father, Ted Jorgensen.
April 1968: Mother's Remarriage and Adoption
In April 1968, Jeff Bezos's mother married Miguel "Mike" Bezos, who then adopted 4-year-old Jeff, changing his surname to Bezos.
July 1969: Apollo 11 mission
In July 1969, the Apollo 11 mission's S-1C stage used Rocketdyne F-1 engines that were later recovered and identified as belonging to that mission.
1982: Princeton University Attendance
In 1982, Jeff Bezos attended Princeton University, initially majoring in physics before switching to electrical engineering and computer science.
1982: Awards and Graduation Speech
In 1982, Jeff Bezos was high school valedictorian, a National Merit Scholar, and a Silver Knight Award winner. In his graduation speech, he shared his dream of mankind colonizing space.
1986: Job Offers and Fitel
After graduating from college in 1986, Jeff Bezos was offered jobs at Intel, Bell Labs, and Andersen Consulting, among others. He first worked at Fitel, a fintech telecommunications start-up.
1986: Graduation from Princeton University
In 1986, Jeff Bezos graduated from Princeton University with a degree in engineering and subsequently began working on Wall Street.
1988: Product Manager at Bankers Trust
In 1988, Jeff Bezos transitioned into the banking industry when he became a product manager at Bankers Trust.
1990: D. E. Shaw & Co
From 1990, Jeff Bezos worked at D. E. Shaw & Co, a newly created hedge fund with a strong emphasis on mathematical modelling.
1992: Bezos Meets MacKenzie Tuttle
In 1992, while working for D. E. Shaw in Manhattan, Jeff Bezos met novelist MacKenzie Tuttle, who was a research associate at the firm.
July 5, 1994: Amazon Founded
On July 5, 1994, Jeff Bezos and his then-wife, MacKenzie Scott, officially founded Amazon in a rented garage in Bellevue, Washington, marking the start of the online bookstore.
1994: Senior Vice-President at D.E. Shaw
By 1994, Jeff Bezos had become D. E. Shaw's fourth senior vice-president by age 30.
1994: Bezos Moves to Seattle and Founds Amazon
In 1994, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie moved to Seattle, Washington, where Bezos founded Amazon.
1994: Amazon Founded
In mid-1994, Jeff Bezos founded Amazon, initially as an online bookstore, during a road trip from New York City to Seattle.
1996: Bezos Drove Honda Accord
In 1999, Jeff Bezos was worth $10 billion yet drove a 1996 Honda Accord.
1997: Bezos becomes a millionaire
Jeff Bezos first became a millionaire in 1997 after raising $54 million through Amazon's initial public offering (IPO).
1997: Equity Offering
Jeff Bezos used the $54 million raised during Amazon's 1997 equity offering to finance the aggressive acquisition of smaller competitors.
1997: The Motley Fool Estimates Bezos' Net Worth
The Motley Fool estimated that if Jeff Bezos had not sold any of his shares from its original public offering in 1997, his net worth would sit at $181 billion in 2018.
1998: Diversification into Music and Video
In 1998, Jeff Bezos diversified Amazon into the online sale of music and video, expanding the company's product offerings.
1998: Bezos invests in Google
In 1998, Jeff Bezos made an early investment of $250,000 in Google.
1998: Annual letter for Amazon shareholders
Since 1998, Jeff Bezos has published an annual letter for Amazon shareholders wherein he frequently refers to five principles: focus on customers, not competitors; take risks for market leadership; facilitate staff morale; build a company culture; and empower people.
1999: Second Centibillionaire
In 1999, Bill Gates became the first centibillionaire on the Forbes Real Time Billionaires Index.
1999: Purchase of Pets.com
In 1999, Jeff Bezos purchased a majority stake in pets.com.
1999: Bezos Purchases Apartments in Manhattan
In 1999, Jeff Bezos purchased three adjoining apartments at 25 Central Park West in Manhattan for $7.65 million.
1999: Bezos Drove Honda Accord
In 1999, Jeff Bezos was worth $10 billion yet drove a 1996 Honda Accord.
1999: Bezos Listed on Forbes World's Billionaires List
Jeff Bezos was first included on the Forbes World's Billionaires list in 1999 with an estimated net worth of $10.1 billion, placing him 19th in the world and 10th in the USA.
September 2000: Bezos founds Blue Origin
In September 2000, Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin, a human spaceflight startup, reflecting his long-held interest in space travel and the development of human life in the Solar System.
2000: Dot-Com Bubble Collapse
By the end of 2000, Bezos borrowed $2 billion from banks. Both pets.com and kozmo.com failed after the dot-com bubble collapse in 2000.
2000: Blue Origin Founded
In 2000, Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin, an aerospace manufacturer and sub-orbital spaceflight services company.
2002: Amazon Web Services Launch
In 2002, Jeff Bezos led Amazon to launch Amazon Web Services, which compiled data from weather channels and website traffic.
March 2003: Bezos Survives Helicopter Crash
In March 2003, Jeff Bezos was a passenger in a helicopter that crashed in West Texas while surveying land to buy for Blue Origin. All occupants survived, and Bezos sustained only minor injuries.
2003: Meyerson leads Blue Origin
From 2003 to 2017, Rob Meyerson led Blue Origin and served as its first president.
2003: Amazon Rebounds
In 2003, Amazon rebounded from financial instability and turned a profit of $35 million.
2005: Bezos' net worth increases
From 2005 to 2007, Jeff Bezos quadrupled his net worth to $8.7 billion.
2006: Blue Origin Purchases Land for Facility
In 2006, Blue Origin purchased a large tract of land in West Texas to build a launch and test facility, maintaining a low profile until this point.
November 2007: Amazon Kindle Launch
In November 2007, Jeff Bezos launched the Amazon Kindle.
2007: Bezos' net worth increases
From 2005 to 2007, Jeff Bezos quadrupled his net worth to $8.7 billion.
2008: Time Profile
According to a 2008 Time profile, Bezos wished to create a device that allowed a "flow state" in reading similar to the experience of video games.
2008: Bezos' net worth decreases
After the 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession, Jeff Bezos's net worth decreased to $6.8 billion, a 17.7% drop.
2009: Donations to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Between 2009 and 2017, Jeff Bezos donated to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
2010: Bezos Donates Against Income Tax
In 2010, Jeff Bezos donated $100,000 towards a movement against a Washington state income tax for "top earners".
2010: Bezos wealth rises
Jeff Bezos's wealth rose by 85.2% in 2010, leaving him with $12.6 billion and ascending him to the 43rd spot on the ranking from 68th.
September 2011: Blue Origin Prototype Crashes
In September 2011, one of Blue Origin's uncrewed prototype vehicles crashed during a short-hop test flight, but the company's overall progress in spaceflight was noted.
2011: Bezos Discusses Alexa Goal With Technical Advisor Greg Hart
In his initial discussion of the project which became Alexa with his technical advisor Greg Hart in 2011, Jeff Bezos told him that the goal was to create "the Star Trek computer."
2012: Bezos Supports Same-Sex Marriage
In 2012, Jeff Bezos and MacKenzie Bezos supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, and contributed $2.5 million to Washington United for Marriage, a group supporting a yes vote on Washington Referendum 74.
2012: Bezos Buys Another Unit
In 2012, Jeff Bezos bought a fourth unit in the building at 25 Central Park West in Manhattan for $5.3 million.
May 2013: Bezos meets Branson
In May 2013, Jeff Bezos met with Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic to discuss commercial spaceflight opportunities and strategies.
August 5, 2013: Bezos Announces Purchase of The Washington Post
On August 5, 2013, Jeff Bezos announced his purchase of The Washington Post for $250 million in cash, influenced by Don Graham's suggestion.
October 1, 2013: Sale of The Washington Post Closes
On October 1, 2013, the sale of The Washington Post to Nash Holdings, a holding company established by Jeff Bezos, closed, and Nash Holdings took control of the newspaper.
2013: Bezos Expeditions Funds Engine Recovery
In 2013, Bezos Expeditions funded the recovery of two Saturn V first-stage Rocketdyne F-1 engines from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. These engines were identified as belonging to the Apollo 11 mission's S-1C stage from July 1969.
2013: Pledge to Worldreader
In 2013, Jeff Bezos pledged $500,000 to Worldreader, a non-profit organization founded by a former Amazon employee.
2013: Purchase of The Washington Post
In 2013, Jeff Bezos purchased The Washington Post, a major American newspaper, for $250 million.
2013: CIA Contract
In 2013, Jeff Bezos secured a $600-million contract with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on behalf of Amazon Web Services.
May 2014: Bezos Named "World's Worst Boss"
In May 2014, the International Trade Union Confederation named Jeff Bezos the "World's Worst Boss", criticizing his promotion of the North American corporate model.
2014: Amazon Wins CIA Cloud Computing Contract
In 2014, Amazon won a bid for a cloud computing contract with the CIA valued at $600 million.
2014: Bezos' Net Worth Rises After Amazon Smartphone Rumor
In 2014, after a rumor surfaced that Amazon was developing a smartphone, Jeff Bezos' net worth increased to $30.5 billion.
2015: New Shepard reached space
In 2015, Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle reached space and successfully landed back on Earth.
2015: New Orbital Launch Vehicle Announced
In 2015, Jeff Bezos announced the development of a new orbital launch vehicle at Blue Origin, with its first flight expected in the late-2010s. Also in November, Blue Origin's New Shepard space vehicle successfully rocketed into space, reached a test altitude of 329,839 feet (100.5 kilometers), and executed a vertical landing in West Texas.
2015: Bezos Denounces New York Times Article
In 2015, Jeff Bezos publicly contested claims made in a critical New York Times article, sending a memo to employees denouncing the piece.
2015: Death of Ted Jorgensen
In 2015, Ted Jorgensen, Jeff Bezos's father, passed away.
January 2016: Bezos Sets Out to Reinvent The Washington Post
In January 2016, Jeff Bezos aimed to reinvent The Washington Post as a media and technology company by reconstructing its digital media, mobile platforms, and analytics software.
March 2016: Bezos' Net Worth Registered at $45.2 Billion
In March 2016, Jeff Bezos' net worth was registered at $45.2 billion according to Forbes.
May 2016: Stock Sale
In May 2016, Jeff Bezos sold slightly more than one million shares of his holdings in Amazon for $671 million, which was the largest sum he had ever raised from selling some of his Amazon stock.
August 4, 2016: Stock Sale
On August 4, 2016, Jeff Bezos sold another million of his shares for $756.7 million.
October 2016: Bezos' Wealth Increases to $66.5 Billion
In October 2016, Jeff Bezos' wealth increased by $16.2 billion, reaching $66.5 billion, unofficially ranking him as the third-richest person in the world, behind Warren Buffett.
2016: Bezos invited to join Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board
Following the 2016 presidential election, Jeff Bezos was invited to join Donald Trump's Defense Innovation Advisory Board, which advises on improving technology used by the Defense Department.
2016: Wealth's Rapid Growth From 2016
From 2016 to 2017 Jeff Bezos's wealth grew rapidly sparking discussion about how much money Bezos earned.
2016: Bezos opens Blue Origin facility to journalists
In 2016, Jeff Bezos opened Blue Origin's facilities to select journalists for tours and photography. He also advocated for increased inter-space energy and industrial manufacturing to reduce business-related pollution.
2016: Bezos Portrays Starfleet Official in Star Trek Beyond
In 2016, Jeff Bezos portrayed a Starfleet official in the movie Star Trek Beyond, and joined the cast and crew at a San Diego Comic-Con screening.
2016: Bezos sells Amazon stock to fund Blue Origin
Since 2016, Jeff Bezos has been selling $1 billion in Amazon stock each year to capitalize Blue Origin in an effort to support his hopes to colonize the solar system.
2016: Public criticizes Bezos for limited philanthropy
Since 2016, Jeff Bezos's relative lack of philanthropy compared to other billionaires has drawn negative public response.
January 2017: Bezos's Net Worth Increased
From January 2017 to January 2018, Jeff Bezos's net worth increased by $33.6 billion, surpassing the economic development of more than 96 countries around the world.
May 2017: Donation to Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
In May 2017, Jeff Bezos donated $1 million to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which provides legal services for American journalists.
June 15, 2017: Twitter post on philanthropy strategy
On June 15, 2017, Jeff Bezos posted on Twitter seeking ideas for a philanthropy strategy focused on long-term impact, reflecting on his lifetime spending of approximately $100 million on charitable causes at that time.
July 2017: Bezos Briefly Unseats Bill Gates as Wealthiest Person
In July 2017, Jeff Bezos briefly surpassed Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as the wealthiest person in the world due to jumps in Amazon's share price.
July 27, 2017: Briefly World's Wealthiest Person
On July 27, 2017, Jeff Bezos momentarily became the world's wealthiest person, surpassing Bill Gates, with an estimated net worth of just over $90 billion.
October 10, 2017: Bezos Makes $6.24 Billion in 5 Minutes
On October 10, 2017, Jeff Bezos made an estimated $6.24 billion in 5 minutes, slightly less than the then annual gross domestic product of Kyrgyzstan.
October 2017: Bezos Continues to Surpass Gates as Amazon's Share Price Fluctuates
Throughout the month of October 2017, Jeff Bezos continued to sporadically surpass Bill Gates as Amazon's share price fluctuated.
November 24, 2017: Wealth Surpasses $100 Billion
On November 24, 2017, Jeff Bezos's wealth surpassed $100 billion for the first time.
December 2017: New Shepard Flies with Dummy Passengers
In December 2017, Blue Origin's New Shepard successfully flew and landed dummy passengers, pushing the expected human space travel start date to late 2018.
2017: Donations to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Between 2009 and 2017, Jeff Bezos donated to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
2017: Meyerson departs from Blue Origin
From 2003 to 2017, Rob Meyerson led Blue Origin and served as its first president.
2017: 130,000 Jobs Created
In 2017, Amazon created 130,000 jobs and the $28,446 figure for its median salary was called misleading, as it included part-time workers.
2017: Google Investment Value
In 2017, Jeff Bezos's $250,000 investment in Google in 1998 resulted in 3.3 million shares of Google stock, worth about $3.1 billion.
2017: Bezos portrayed on Saturday Night Live
Since 2017, Jeff Bezos has been portrayed by Kyle Mooney and Steve Carell on Saturday Night Live, usually as an undercutting, domineering figure.
January 2018: Bezos's Net Worth Increased
From January 2017 to January 2018, Jeff Bezos's net worth increased by $33.6 billion, surpassing the economic development of more than 96 countries around the world.
January 2018: Bezos Announces Healthcare Venture
In January 2018, Jeff Bezos announced his involvement in a new, unnamed healthcare company, later named Haven, which is a partnership between Amazon, JPMorgan, and Berkshire Hathaway.
January 2018: Donation to TheDream.US
In January 2018, Jeff Bezos donated $33 million to TheDream.US, a college scholarship fund for undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as minors.
January 19, 2018: Amazon Stock Holdings
By January 19, 2018, Jeff Bezos's Amazon stock holdings had appreciated to slightly over $109 billion.
January 29, 2018: Super Bowl Commercial
On January 29, 2018, Jeff Bezos was featured in Amazon's Super Bowl commercial.
February 1, 2018: Amazon's Highest Profit
On February 1, 2018, Amazon reported its highest ever profit with quarterly earnings of $2 billion.
March 6, 2018: Designated World's Wealthiest Person
On March 6, 2018, Jeff Bezos was formally designated the wealthiest person in the world by Forbes, with a net worth of $112 billion.
March 2018: India Expansion and Trump's Accusations
In March 2018, Jeff Bezos dispatched Amit Agarwal to India with $5.5 billion to localize Amazon's operations and U.S. President Donald Trump accused Amazon and Bezos of sales tax avoidance and anti-competitive practices.
March 2018: Bezos meets with Mohammad bin Salman
In March 2018, Jeff Bezos met with Mohammad bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, in Seattle to discuss investment opportunities for Saudi Vision 2030.
May 1, 2018: Hacking of Bezos's phone via WhatsApp message
On May 1, 2018, Jeff Bezos's mobile phone was allegedly hacked through a malicious file hidden in a video sent via a WhatsApp message from the personal account of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman.
May 2018: Blue Origin's primary goal
In May 2018, Jeff Bezos stated that Blue Origin's primary goal is to preserve Earth's natural resources by making humanity multi-planetary and announced New Shepard would begin transporting humans into sub-orbital space by November 2018.
June 2018: Donation to Breakthrough Energy Ventures
In June 2018, Jeff Bezos donated to Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a private philanthropic fund founded by Bill Gates aimed at promoting emissions-free energy.
July 2018: Congressional Inquiry into Rekognition
During July 2018, a number of members of the U.S. Congress called on Jeff Bezos to detail the applications of Amazon's face recognition software, Rekognition.
July 2018: Richest Man in Modern History
In July 2018, Jeff Bezos was named the "richest man in modern history" after his net worth increased to $150 billion.
July 2018: Commercial Spaceflight Ticket Prices Announced
In July 2018, it was announced that Jeff Bezos had priced commercial spaceflight tickets from $200,000 to $300,000 per person.
July 17, 2018: Bezos Designated the 'Wealthiest Person in Modern History'
On July 17, 2018, Jeff Bezos was designated the "wealthiest person in modern history" by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Fortune, MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
September 2018: Questions about Bezos's Day 1 Fund
In September 2018, Janet Camarena from Foundation Center raised questions about the structure and funding of Jeff Bezos's new Day 1 Fund.
September 2018: Announcement of Day 1 Fund
In September 2018, Jeff Bezos announced that he would commit approximately $2 billion to a fund to deal with American homelessness and establish a network of non-profit preschools for low income communities, establishing the "Day 1 Families Fund" and the "Day 1 Academies Fund".
September 2018: Donation to With Honor
In September 2018, Jeff Bezos donated $10 million to With Honor, a nonpartisan organization that works to increase the number of veterans in political office.
September 2018: Stop BEZOS Act
In September 2018, Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act and accused Amazon of receiving corporate welfare.
October 2, 2018: Company-Wide Wage Increase
On October 2, 2018, Jeff Bezos announced a company-wide wage increase, raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, which was applauded by Senator Bernie Sanders.
November 2018: New Shepard would begin transporting humans
In May 2018, Jeff Bezos stated that Blue Origin's primary goal is to preserve Earth's natural resources by making humanity multi-planetary and announced New Shepard would begin transporting humans into sub-orbital space by November 2018.
2018: Controversy Over JEDI Contract
In 2018, a $10 billion contract known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) project, this time with the Pentagon, was allegedly written up in a way that favors Amazon.
2018: Talk at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C.
In 2018, during a talk at the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., Jeff Bezos revealed that his Princeton classmate Yasantha Rajakarunanayake had defeated him in solving a mathematical problem, leading him to give up his dreams of becoming a theoretical physicist.
2018: Bezos Investor Meetings
In 2018, it was reported that Jeff Bezos met with Amazon investors for just six hours a year and required high-level employees to present information with six-page narratives instead of presentation slides.
2018: Washington Post Employees Criticize Bezos
In 2018, more than 400 Washington Post employees wrote an open letter to Jeff Bezos criticizing his poor wages and benefits for his employees.
January 2019: Bezos and Wife Announce Divorce
In January 2019, Jeff Bezos and his wife MacKenzie released a joint statement which revealed that they would be getting divorced after 25 years together.
February 7, 2019: Bezos Accuses David Pecker of Extortion and Blackmail
On February 7, 2019, Jeff Bezos published an online essay in which he accused American Media, Inc. owner David Pecker of "extortion and blackmail" for threatening to publish intimate photos of Bezos and current girlfriend Lauren Sánchez.
March 2019: Accusations of Saudi government hacking Bezos's phone
In March 2019, Jeff Bezos's security consultant accused the Saudi government of hacking Bezos's phone. This accusation was linked to The Washington Post's coverage of the murder of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi.
April 4, 2019: Bezos' Divorce Finalized
On April 4, 2019, Jeff Bezos' divorce was finalized, with Bezos keeping 75% of the couple's Amazon stock and MacKenzie getting the remaining 25% ($35.6 billion).
June 2019: Bezos Purchases Apartments Overlooking Madison Square Park
In June 2019, Jeff Bezos purchased three adjoining apartments overlooking Madison Square Park in Manhattan, including a penthouse, for a combined total of $80 million.
November 2019: Amazon Files Lawsuit Over JEDI Contract Award
In November 2019, after the JEDI contract was awarded to Microsoft instead, Amazon filed a lawsuit with allegations that the bidding process was biased.
2019: Harvard Business Review Downgrades Bezos's Ranking
In 2019, Harvard Business Review, which had previously ranked Jeff Bezos as the best-performing CEO for 4 years, did not rank him in the top 100, citing Amazon's low ESG scores reflecting issues with working conditions, employment policies, data security, and antitrust.
2019: Bezos's Wealth Reduced by Divorce
In 2019, Jeff Bezos's wealth was reduced due to his divorce from MacKenzie Bezos.
2019: PAC Linked to Bezos Attempts to Defeat Sawant
In 2019, a PAC linked to Jeff Bezos spent over $1 million in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the reelection bid of Seattle city council member and activist Kshama Sawant.
January 2020: Report on the Bezos phone hack
In January 2020, The Guardian reported that the hacking of Jeff Bezos's phone was initiated before the murder of Jamal Khashoggi but after Khashoggi wrote critically about the crown prince in The Washington Post.
February 2020: Pledge to combat climate change through Bezos Earth Fund
In February 2020, Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion to combat climate change through the Bezos Earth Fund.
February 2020: Bezos Purchases Warner Estate
In February 2020, Jeff Bezos purchased the Warner Estate from David Geffen for $165 million, setting a record price for a residence in the Los Angeles area.
April 2020: Donation to food banks through Feeding America
In April 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Jeff Bezos donated $100 million to food banks through Feeding America.
August 2020: Net Worth Exceeds $200 Billion
In August 2020, Jeff Bezos had a net worth exceeding $200 billion, according to Forbes.
February 2, 2021: Bezos announces transition to Executive Chairman
On February 2, 2021, Jeff Bezos emailed Amazon employees announcing he would step down as CEO in the third quarter of 2021 to become Executive Chairman of the Amazon Board, giving him more time for the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post, and other passions.
February 2021: Bezos announces stepping down as CEO of Amazon
In February 2021, Jeff Bezos announced that he would step down as CEO of Amazon in the third quarter of 2021, transitioning to the role of Executive Chairman.
July 5, 2021: Stepped Down as Amazon CEO
On July 5, 2021, Jeff Bezos stepped down as the CEO and president of Amazon, transitioning to the role of executive chairman, and was succeeded by Andy Jassy.
July 6, 2021: Pentagon Cancels JEDI Contract with Microsoft
On July 6, 2021, the Pentagon cancelled the JEDI contract with Microsoft, citing that "due to evolving requirements, increased cloud conversancy, and industry advances, the JEDI Cloud contract no longer meets its needs."
July 2021: Announcement of Courage and Civility Award
In July 2021, Jeff Bezos announced the Courage and Civility Award and donated $100 million each to lawyer Van Jones and chef José Andrés.
July 20, 2021: Bezos Launches on NS-16 Mission
On July 20, 2021, Jeff Bezos launched on the NS-16 mission with his half-brother Mark Bezos, Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemen. The suborbital flight lasted over 10 minutes, reaching a peak altitude of 66.5 miles (107.0 km).
September 2021: Co-founded Altos Labs
In September 2021, Jeff Bezos co-founded Altos Labs with Mail.ru founder Yuri Milner.
November 2021: Pledge to donate towards food systems and nature conservation
In November 2021, Jeff Bezos pledged to donate $2 billion towards restructuring food systems and nature conservation at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
November 22, 2021: Bezos Donates $100 Million to Obama Foundation
On November 22, 2021, Jeff Bezos donated $100 million to the Obama Foundation to "help expand the scope of programming that reaches emerging leaders", and requested the Obama Presidential Center's plaza to be named after John Lewis.
2021: Bezos steps down as CEO of Amazon
In 2021, Jeff Bezos stepped down as CEO of Amazon, focusing on Blue Origin, and became engaged to Lauren Sánchez.
January 19, 2022: Altos Labs Launches
On January 19, 2022, Altos Labs launched with a start capital of $3 billion and an executive team led by Hal Barron, dedicated to developing longevity therapeutics through cellular reprogramming.
February 2022: Bezos Expands Residential Holdings
In February 2022, Jeff Bezos expanded his residential holdings, purchasing a $16.13-million-dollar apartment in the Flatiron neighborhood.
November 22, 2022: Awards to organizations relocating homeless families
On November 22, 2022, Jeff Bezos awarded $123 million to organizations engaged in relocating homeless families to permanent housing through Day 1 Families Fund grants.
May 2023: Sánchez and Bezos Get Engaged
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos became engaged in May 2023.
December 2023: Washington Post Employees Strike
Around 750 employees at The Washington Post went on a brief strike in December 2023 in response to Jeff Bezos' plans to lay off staff.
2023: Bezos' Forbes Ranking in 2023
According to Forbes, in 2023 Jeff Bezos was the second-wealthiest person in America and the third-wealthiest person in the world.
2023: Bezos becomes a resident of Indian Creek, Florida
Since 2023, Jeff Bezos has been a resident of Indian Creek, Florida, located near Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago.
February 2024: Bezos' Net Worth in February 2024
According to Bloomberg Billionaires Index, in February 2024 Jeff Bezos' net worth is about $197 billion, making him the second-wealthiest person in the world.
February 2024: Bezos Sells Amazon Shares
In February 2024, Jeff Bezos sold 24 million shares of Amazon stock for $4 billion and announced plans to sell 50 million more shares over the next year.
March 2024: Donations to Eva Longoria and Bill McRaven
In March 2024, Jeff Bezos donated $50 million each to actress Eva Longoria and retired admiral Bill McRaven.
July 2024: Phone conversation between Bezos and Trump
In July 2024, Jeff Bezos held a private phone conversation with then-candidate Donald Trump, which reportedly planted the seeds of a "Bezos–Trump alliance".
December 2024: Bezos focuses on AI at Amazon
During an interview at the DealBook Summit in December 2024, Jeff Bezos stated that he was dedicating 95% of his time to artificial intelligence initiatives at Amazon.
2024: Bezos works to have a positive relationship with Trump
According to the Financial Times, in 2024, Jeff Bezos worked to have a positive relationship with Donald Trump, reportedly to further his business interests.
2024: Bezos Blocks Harris Endorsement
In 2024, Jeff Bezos blocked the Washington Post's editorial board from endorsing Kamala Harris in the presidential election, leading to criticism and resignations.
2024: Scrutiny and Criticism of Bezos' Ownership
Jeff Bezos' ownership of The Washington Post has been subject to scrutiny and criticism regarding his treatment of employees as well as his influence on the paper's content, in particular 2024-25 interference with the editorial and opinion pages.
January 2025: Ann Telnaes Resigns From the Post
In January 2025, editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes resigned from the Post after it refused to run a satirical cartoon critical of the relationship between American billionaires and President Donald Trump, sparking conversations about the paper's ownership under Bezos.
February 2025: Bezos Announces New Direction For Post Opinion Section
In February 2025, Jeff Bezos announced that the opinion section of the Post will give voice only to opinions that support "personal liberties" and "free markets", and that divergent opinions will not be published by the Post.
February 2025: Bezos dines with Musk and Trump
In February 2025, Jeff Bezos dined with Elon Musk and Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago, and Amazon subsequently donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration. Also in February 2025, Bezos announced changes to The Washington Post's opinion policies to promote "free markets and personal liberties".
May 2025: Bezos's Net Worth
In May 2025, Jeff Bezos's estimated net worth exceeded $220 billion, making him the third richest person in the world, according to Forbes.
June 27, 2025: Sánchez and Bezos Get Married
Lauren Sánchez and Jeff Bezos married in Venice on June 27, 2025, in a ceremony attracting mainstream media attention and various celebrities.
2025: Death of Jacklyn (née Gise)
In 2025, Jacklyn (née Gise), Jeff Bezos's mother, passed away.
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