Intel And Under Armour CEOs Join Exodus From Trump's Manufacturing Council

(RTTNews) - Intel CEO Brian Krzanich and Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank have joined the parade of business leaders leaving President Donald Trump's manufacturing council.

Earlier this week, Merck CEO Kenneth Frasier turned his back on Trump in protest of the president's handling of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville.

Krazanich and Plank refrained from citing Trump's blasé attitude regarding racially-motivated violence, but said the contentious climate in Washington needlessly politicizes all discourse.

"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," Intel chief executive said.

"I have already made clear my abhorrence at the recent hate-spawned violence in Charlottesville, and earlier today I called on all leaders to condemn the white supremacists and their ilk who marched and committed violence," he added.

Krazanich in his blog-post criticized that many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them. Every issue is now politicized to the point where significant progress is impossible. "We should honor - not attack - those who have stood up for equality and other cherished American values...Promoting American manufacturing should not be a political issue," he further added.

While joining Merck and Intel CEOs leaving Trump's advisory council, Under Armour chief executive Kevin Plank said, "I joined the American Manufacturing Council because I believed it was important for Under Armour to have an active seat at the table and represent our industry. We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing. However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics."

Former Uber Technologies CEO Travis Kalanick left in February over the Trump administration's immigration policies.

In June, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Walt Disney CEO Robert Iger had quit the President's Strategic and Policy Forum, a business advisory group, in dissent of Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate deal. Musk also had departed the manufacturing council.