Politics

Trump Shuts Down 2 Advisory Councils Amid Charlottesville Criticism

Trump said Wednesday, "Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both."

Trump Shuts Down 2 Advisory Councils Amid Charlottesville Criticism
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President Donald Trump says he's shutting down two of his business advisory councils.

Trump said in a tweet Wednesday: "Rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council & Strategy & Policy Forum, I am ending both. Thank you all!"

The announcement came after a slew of CEOs announced their resignations from some of Trump's councils. Many of them cited his controversial comments about the violence in Charlottesville as the reason.

Trump Goes After Former Members Of His Advisory Council
Trump Goes After Former Members Of His Advisory Council

Trump Goes After Former Members Of His Advisory Council

Several CEOs on Trump's manufacturing advisory council have stepped down, citing his reaction to Charlottesville violence.

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"What about the alt-left that came charging at the — as you say, the 'alt-right'? Do they have any semblance of guilt?" Trump asked. "What about the fact that they came charging with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs? Do they have any problem? I think they do," Trump said. 

After the first few CEOs backed out, Trump called them "grandstanders" and claimed he had many others ready to take their place.

Earlier controversial actions, like leaving the Paris climate agreement and Trump ordering his travel ban, prompted other leaders to leave his advisory councils.

SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Disney's Robert Iger and then-Uber CEO Travis Kalanick all left Trump's councils earlier in his administration.