advertisement

The Latest: Trump blasts CEOs who quit White House panel

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on reaction from U.S. business leaders on the administration's response to violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia (all times EDT):

4:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump says CEOs who have quit his White House council are "leaving out of embarrassment."

He is also saying they are "not taking their jobs seriously" as he takes questions from reporters at Trump Tower in New York City, where he is spending a few days during a break from Washington.

Four chief executives have resigned from the White House manufacturing council in protest of the president's failure to immediately condemn white supremacists and other hate groups after deadly violence last weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. On Monday he did condemn those groups by name.

The parade of departing leaders from the informal panel now includes the chief executives for Merck, Under Armour and Intel and the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

___

3:25 p.m.

Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon is criticizing President Donald Trump's initial response to violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, at a white supremacist rally.

But McMillon appears willing to stay on a panel of informal corporate advisers for the president.

He says in a note to Wal-Mart employees that "(We) too felt that he missed a critical opportunity to help bring our country together by unequivocally rejecting the appalling actions of white supremacists."

But McMillion says the president's later condemnation of racism was a "step in the right direction."

___

2:30 p.m.

A fourth business leader has resigned from President Donald Trump's White House jobs panel. It's the latest sign that corporate America's romance with Trump is faltering after his initial half-hearted response to violence by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The chief executives for Merck, Under Armour and Intel and now the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing have resigned from the informal panel.

Alliance president Scott Paul, in a tweet, said simply, "I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do."

FILE - In this Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump, left, speaks during a meeting with manufacturing executives at the White House in Washington, including Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, center, and Ford CEO Mark Fields. Frazier is resigning from the President’s American Manufacturing Council citing "a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism." Frazier's resignation comes shortly after a violent confrontation between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville, Va. Trump is being criticized for not explicitly condemning the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) The Associated Press
FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, file photo, Merck Chairman and CEO Kenneth Frazier participates in a session "The Future of Impact," at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. Frazier is resigning from the President’s American Manufacturing Council citing "a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism." Frazier's resignation comes shortly after a violent confrontation between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesville, Va. U.S. President Donald Trump is being criticized for not explicitly condemning the white nationalists who marched in Charlottesville. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) The Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.