Under Armour CEO Quits Trump's Manufacturing Council
BALTIMORE (AP)--Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank said Monday night that he's leaving President Trump's manufacturing council, the second departure by a high-profile business leader in the space of a day.
Plank didn't give a clear reason for stepping down, but his announcement comes amid fierce criticism over Trump's response to violence over the weekend at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.
"I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served, but have decided to step down from the council," Plank said in a statement. "I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion."
His move comes hours after Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, one of the country's most prominent black corporate executives, quit the council over Trump's initial failure to condemn white supremacists.
"America's leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy," Frazier said. "As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism."
That appeared to be a reference to Trump's statement over the weekend blaming violence "on many sides" after neo-Nazis and white nationalists clashed with counter-protesters in Charlottesville.
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