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7 members of Trump's manufacturing council left after Charlottesville before Trump disbanded it

Business Insider contacted the remaining members of the council to ask for a statement on Frazier's departure and whether they still planned to participate.

President Donald Trump said in a tweet Wednesday that he is disbanding his two business councils.

The move came after the manufacturing council lost seven members: three of whom left on Monday, two on Tuesday, and two on Wednesday amid fallout from his handling of the white-supremacist protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend.

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Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, the only black business leader in the group, was first to resign on Monday morning after Trump initially failed to explicitly denounce white nationalists.

By the time Trump did so in a televised address on Monday, Frazier was the only one to have stepped down from the council because of the weekend's events.

Later Monday, however, Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank joined Frazier in leaving the council. The sporting-goods CEO said he decided to do so because his company "engages in innovation and sports, not politics."

That same night, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich released a statement saying he too was stepping down from the council.

"Earlier today, I tendered my resignation from the American Manufacturing Council," Krzanich wrote. "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. Politics and political agendas have sidelined the important mission of rebuilding America's manufacturing base."

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Trump responded Tuesday to the three departures with a tweet, saying that he has other leaders to take their spots on the council.

Scott Paul, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, tweeted shortly after Trump's statement that he will be the fourth executive to leave the council.

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Less than 15 minutes after the tweet, J&J CEO Alex Gorsky and United Technologies CEO Greg Hayes said they would resign from the council. Gorsky had prior to Trump's news conference on Tuesday said he was staying on. Hayes had not taken a clear stance ahead of his resignation.

"Johnson & Johnson has a responsibility to remain engaged as important policy decisions are made. That hasn't changed. The President’s most recent statements equating those who are motivated by race-based hate with those who stand up against hatred is unacceptable and has changed our decision to participate in the White House Manufacturing Advisory Council," Gorsky said in a statement. "We will continue to support, advocate and champion policies and programs that make this country and the world healthier, stronger and more united."

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GE Chairman Jeff Immelt changed his mind and left the council on Wednesday, issuing a statement after the president's tweet.

Wendell Weeks, CEO of Corning, also annouced he had decided to leave the council after Trump's tweet dissolving the group.

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  • Andrew Liveris, Dow Chemical Company,
  • Bill Brown, Harris Corporation,
  • Michael Dell, Dell Technologies,
  • John Ferriola, Nucor Corporation,
  • Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation,
  • said he would remain on the council.
  • Whirlpool Corp. believes strongly in an open and inclusive culture that respects people of all races and backgrounds," the company said in a statement. "Our company has long fostered an environment of acceptance and tolerance in the workplace. The company will continue on the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative to represent our industry, our 15,000 US manufacturing workers, and to provide input and advice on ways to create jobs and strengthen US manufacturing competitiveness."
  • left the council
  • said in a statement
  • Marillyn Hewson, Lockheed Martin,
  • said he would remain on the council,
  • Jim Kamsickas, Dana Inc.,
  • said in a statement
  • Rich Kyle, The Timken Company,
  • Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing,
  • said he would remain on the council.
  • left the council in June
  • Doug Oberhelman, formerly Caterpillar,
  • I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do,"
  • Michael Polk, Newell Brands,
  • said he would remain on the council.
  • With a large portion of our business in the U.S., including a manufacturing footprint of more than 60 factories and 15,000 employees (and counting), it is in our best interests to have a voice in the conversations that can influence the environment in which we work," said Polk in a statement. "I plan to continue to collaborate with other leaders from diverse industries, who represent a variety of perspectives and beliefs, to help shape strategies and develop policies that foster a more vibrant economy and more jobs in the US."Polk also provided Business Insider with a statement regarding Charlottesville: "We find the events of this past weekend in Charlottesville to be incredibly troubling. There is simply no place in our society for racism of any kind, white supremacy, or Neo-Nazism. The values that form these views are intolerable and completely contrary to everything we hold true as proud Americans. We reject and condemn all that hate stands for and hope that as a society, we can come together as one in this view. For its part, Newell Brands has always been and will always be committed to diversity and inclusion in every aspect of our business."
  • Mark Sutton, International Paper,
  • said he would remain on the council.
  • "I joined the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative in January to advocate for policies that align with our values and encourage even stronger investment and job growth – in order to make the United States stronger, healthier and more prosperous for all people. After careful consideration, I believe the initiative is no longer an effective vehicle for 3M to advance these goals. As a result, today I am resigning from the Manufacturing Advisory Council.
  • "At 3M, we will continue to champion an environment that supports sustainability, diversity and inclusion. I am committed to building a company that improves lives in every corner of the world."
  • Wendell Weeks, Corning,

Steve Schwarzman, the CEO of the private-equity giant Blackstone and the leader of Trump's now-disbanded Strategic and Policy Forum — another group of executives from companies such as JPMorgan, PepsiCo, and Walmart — also condemned the events in Charlottesville and said he would remain as head of the forum.

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"Bigotry, hatred, and extremism are an affront to core American values and have no place in this country," Schwarzman said in a statement. "I am deeply saddened and troubled by the tragic events in Charlottesville. My heartfelt condolences go out to the victims and their families. As the president said today, I believe we need to find a path to heal the wounds left by this tragedy and address its underlying causes. Encouraging tolerance and understanding must be a core national imperative, and I will work to further that goal."The following CEO's had also left the council because they are no longer in their jobs:

  • Mark Fields, formerly Ford Motor Company,
  • after leaving Ford
  • Klaus Kleinfeld, formerly CEO of Arconic,
  • Mario Longhi, formerly US Steel,
  • Thea Lee, formerly AFL-CIO,
  • she had left the council

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