Intel CEO Steps Down From Trump's Manufacturing Council
In the wake of the violence in Charlottesville this weekend and the president's response to it, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced he will step down from Trump's American Manufacturing Council.
He joins Merck CEO Kenneth C. Frazier and Under Armour chief Kevin Plank, both of whom resigned yesterday, too.
"I resigned to call attention to the serious harm our divided political climate is causing to critical issues, including the serious need to address the decline of American manufacturing," Krzanich wrote in a blog post. "Politics and political agendas have sidelined the important mission of rebuilding America's manufacturing base.
"I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them," he continued. "We should honor—not attack—those who have stood up for equality and other cherished American values. I hope this will change, and I remain willing to serve when it does."
According to Krzanich, "the current environment must change, or else our nation will become a shadow of what it once was and what it still can and should be."
Plank's statement was similar; "Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics," he wrote.
Frazier was more pointed, arguing that "America's leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry, and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal."
Frazier said the move was "a matter of personal conscience" and that he felt "a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism."
Frazier's resignation came after President Trump on Saturday condemned the violence in Chartlottesville, Virginia from "many sides." Protestors did clash with white nationalists in the city on Saturday morning, but Trump was criticized for not directly condemning the hateful groups that were there to promote their racist agenda. They marched through the streets carrying torches and flags emblazoned with swastikas, screaming anti-Semitic chants.
A 20-year-old man also drove into a crowd of counterprotestors, killing one and injuring dozens. Two police officers monitoring the event from a helicopter also died when it crashed nearby.
On Monday, rather than amend his statement on his favorite platform—Twitter—Trump instead opted to attack Frazier.
This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.