Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, one of the most prominent black CEO’s in the nation and the only black male named to President Trump’s manufacturing council, has quit the council. Frazier’s resignation came after Trump’s non-response to the violence at a Nazi rally in Virginia left a counter-protester and two police officers dead.
“America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy,” Frazier said in a statement. While he didn’t mention Charlottesville specifically, he said that “as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.”
Within minutes of Frazier’s resignation, Trump went on the attack on Twitter, insinuating that Frazier and Merck were “ripping off” Americans.
Frazier is only one of a number of top CEOs who have resigned from Trump’s advisory council over the past few months. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Goldman Sach’s Lloyd Blankfein, and Disney’s Bob Iger all quit over Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate change accords. He didn’t attack those three CEO on social media.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
Maybe there’s a reason why Trump refuses to condemn racism, white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and their ilk. Gee, wonder what it could be…
— Merck (@Merck) August 14, 2017
Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council,he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017
