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(Update, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 1:51pm ET: As the mass exodus continued — and business leaders contemplated the future of their work with the White House — Trump said he had disbanded both of his business advisory councils.)
From immigration to climate change, President Donald Trump has repeatedly found himself at odds with some of the country’s corporate leaders — including those who advise him.
As those political rifts have intensified, however, many of the top executives who had hoped to shape the new administration’s thinking have instead bolted for the exits.
Since Monday, seven of the president’s business advisers have announced they would cease advising him as a member of the White House’s manufacturing initiative. The catalyst: The president’s controversial comments about the neo-Nazi, white supremacist demonstrations in Charlottesville, Va. Over the weekend, Trump attributed violence there that injured dozens and killed one to “many sides,” and on Wednesday, he repeated similar claims.
The departures so far include Ken Frazier, the chief executive of Merck; Kevin Plank, the leader of Under Armour; Brian Krzanich, the CEO of Intel; and Scott Paul, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. On Tuesday, Richard Trumka, the leader of the AFL-CIO, and his deputy chief of staff joined the bunch, and by Wednesday morning, 3M CEO Inge Thulin announced that the council had outlived its usefulness.
In leaving, though, these business leaders have drawn sharp, repeated rebukes from the president himself:
For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2017
For its part, the White House does not maintain an updated, public list of its corporate advisers. Trump has two so-called “councils” — one on manufacturing, one on broader business issues. While the president has consulted with the likes of Apple CEO Tim Cook and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, those executives are not formal members of a White House effort focused on technology.
But here’s who still assists Trump — and who has left.
Who’s out
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Brian Krzanich
CEO, Intel Corporation
Role: Former participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Intel is closely monitoring Trump’s work on tax and trade policies, including the president’s approach to countries including China. To curry favor with the White House, Krzanich personally sought to give Trump credit for a major hiring and investment pledge that Intel set in motion long before Election Day. And remember, Krzanich almost held a Trump fundraiser during the 2016 presidential campaign, but opted against it due to political pressure. (The Intel chief said he thought it was a conversation about policy.)
Why he’s out: Days after the Charlottesville incident, Krzanich blamed politics: “I am not a politician. I am an engineer who has spent most of his career working in factories that manufacture the world’s most advanced devices. Yet, it is clear even to me that nearly every issue is now politicized to the point where significant progress is impossible. Promoting American manufacturing should not be a political issue.”
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Ken Frazier
CEO, Merck & Co., Inc.
Role: Former member of the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Among other reasons, Trump spent the early days of his presidency slamming the likes of Merck for high drug prices.
Why he’s out: Frazier specifically cited the White House’s response to the incident in Charlottesville on August 12.
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Kevin Plank
Founder, CEO, chairman, Under Armour
Role: Former member of the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Plank, like other executives, has previously praised the president. “To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country,” he told CNBC. But the comments drew a rebuke from his own employees, leading Plank to take out a full-page advertisement in his local newspaper to explain his thinking.
Why he’s out: Hours after Frazier, Plank left the president’s manufacturing council. He didn’t mention Charlestonville in a statement, tweeted by his company, but did cite the importance of “unity, diversity and inclusion.” He added: “However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.”
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Elon Musk
Founder and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
Role: Former member of the Strategic and Policy Forum and manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Musk had much to gain in the nation’s capital, from lucrative contracts at NASA for his SpaceX rockets to government support for his proposed hyperloop.
Why he’s out: Musk had hoped to use his participation on both councils to press Trump on immigration and climate change, but he opted to cease advising the president after the United States withdrew from the Paris climate agreement.
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Bob Iger
CEO of Disney
Role: Former member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he joined: “I made a decision that I thought was in the best interests of our company and of our industry, to have an opportunity to express points of view directly to the president of the United States and to his administration,” Iger previously said. He stressed his participation didn’t meant he “endorse[d]” any of Trump’s policies, even though lower corporate tax rates certainly wouldn’t hurt Disney.
Why he’s out: For Iger, it was because of the Paris climate agreement.
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Travis Kalanick
Now-former CEO of Uber
Role: Former member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he joined: Kalanick, then Uber’s chief executive, had been a late addition to Trump’s Strategic and Policy Forum. “We partner around the world optimistically in the belief that by speaking up and engaging we can make a difference. Our experience is that not doing so shortchanges cities and the people who live in them,” he explained of his decision to join.
Why he’s out: Again, still serving as CEO, Kalanick faced a massive backlash from his own employees, and his departure marked the first of a few to come from Trump’s council.
Scott Paul
President, Alliance for American Manufacturing
Role: Former participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s out: On August 15, a day after others left the manufacturing initiative citing Trump’s Charlottesville comments, Paul had only this to say: “I’m resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it’s the right thing for me to do.”
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Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO
Role: Former participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Well, sorta. The labor union had an invite to the first meeting, and Trumka (hardly a fan of Trump) later criticized it. But they weren’t invited to the second gathering, Bloomberg reported.
Why he’s out: On Tuesday, August 15, Trumka tweeted he could not “sit on a council for a president that tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism.”
Inge Thulin
Chairman, president, CEO, 3M
Role: Former participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Thulin addressed the matter at an event held by the Council on Foreign Relations. “I thought that it was important for 3M to be part of that, see if I could be part of tax and trades ... so I can get an influence relative to what should be done there. My observation is President Trump is pro-growth. He is — he is very engaged. And he is listening.”
Why he’s out: Thulin said he joined the manufacturing effort in January to "advocate for policies that align with our values and encourage even stronger investment and job growth," but on Wednesday, August 16, he said it had become clear "the initiative is no longer an efficient vehicle for 3M to advance these goals." Thulin touted the need for "diversity and inclusion" in his statement.
Who’s in
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Jamie Dimon
CEO of JPMorgan Chase
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s a member: Dimon has been fairly critical of Trump, but when asked earlier this year whether he would stop advising him, the top banking exec said: “I believe he’s the pilot flying our airplane. We’re trying to help. I would try to help any president of the United States because I’m a patriot. We do not — it does not mean we agree with all the policies that the administration comes up with.”
Steven Schwarzman
CEO of Blackstone
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s a member: Schwarzman didn’t just join Trump’s business council; he currently chairs it. “Steve called me up the day after the election — it might have even been the same night, Jamie, to be honest with you,” Trump recalled at their inaugural meeting. “And he said, I'd like to put together a group of world-class leaders and that's what he's done. So good job, Steve.”
Rich Lesser
CEO of Boston Consulting Group
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s a member: “Our participation in the forum provides an opportunity and a responsibility to engage directly with the president on critical issues important to the United States and our world,” a spokesman previously said.
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Doug McMillon
President and CEO, Walmart
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s a member: McMillon is one of the chief executives who opposed Trump’s move on the Paris agreement but chose to remain a member of his advisory board anyway. Walmart, of course, has plenty on the line in Washington, D.C., including major tax and labor policy battles.
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Indra Nooyi
Chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why she’s there: On one hand, Nooyi previously acknowledged that Trump’s election didn’t sit well with many of her employees. “Our employees were all crying,” the CEO said. “And the question that they’re asking, especially those who are not white, ‘Are we safe?’ Women are asking, ‘Are we safe?’ LGBT people are asking, ‘Are we safe?’ I never thought I would have to answer those questions.” But, she has stressed: “Life has to go on.”
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Ginni Rometty
Chairman, president and CEO of IBM
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why she’s there: Rometty has sought since Trump’s election to make new friends in the new administration, as IBM tries to sell more technology — Watson, especially — to the feds. While her relationship with the White House has drawn the scorn of her own employees, Rometty has described the outreach as essential to produce “good outcomes.”
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Jack Welch
Former chairman and CEO, General Electric
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: Speaking after the council’s inaugural meeting, Welch expressed “excitement” with the president’s commitment to work with the country’s business leaders on areas like tax and regulatory reforms. Months later, he gave Trump a grade of “D-” for management.
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Toby Cosgrove
CEO, Cleveland Clinic
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: For one thing, Trump reportedly sought to tap Cosgrove for key administration posts, including leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs. It was health care reform, however, that led Cosgrove to join the council. “[The White House] said ‘Look, we realize health care is a major portion of the economy and we think we need it to have a representative, and we’d like you to do it.” It is a big commitment. But I think that if it actually comes to pass, it’s certainly a great opportunity,” he has said.
Dan Yergin
Vice chairman of IHS Markit
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: Yergin is an industry expert who’s advised other presidents on energy issues.
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Mary Barra
Chairman and CEO of General Motors
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why she’s there: It certainly isn’t a bad thing in GM’s eyes that Trump is trying to deregulate much of the economy. But Barra and other automakers have taken a ton of heat from Trump, who has criticized GM in particular for making their vehicles overseas.
Kevin Warsh
Fellow at Hoover Institute, former member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: At one point, Warsh had been eyed as a contender to lead the Fed.
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Paul Atkins
CEO of Patomak Global Partners LLC
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: Atkins is a former SEC commissioner who advised Trump during the transition on economic issues.
Mark Weinberger
Global chairman and CEO, EY
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: “I think everyone’s hopeful that we’ll have a voice in educating him on things that we see in the workplace, about jobs, about the disruption that’s going on, talk about issues such as income inequality, as well as what will be necessary to create more jobs and improve the economy,” he explained earlier this year.
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Jim McNerney
Former chairman, president and CEO, Boeing
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: There’s a lot on the line for Boeing in the nation’s capital, including potential restrictions on how they borrow money and constant scrutiny over where they locate their factories. (Also, it is unclear if McNerney is Trump’s “friend Jim.”)
Adebayo Ogunlesi
Chairman, managing partner, Global Infrastructure Partners
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Phillip Howard
Lawyer, Covington; founder of Common Good
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: Howard is a longtime advocate for reducing federal regulation. He represents a number of corporate clients on regulatory issues at Covington.
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Larry Fink
Chairman and CEO, BlackRock
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: Fink, like many business leaders participating on the council, is a big advocate for lower corporate tax rates.
Matt Rose
Executive chairman, BNSF Railway
Role: Member of the Strategic and Policy Forum
Why he’s there: The railroad executive has expressed optimism about the economy, particularly as the president explores infrastructure reforms that might help his industry.
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Andrew Liveris
Chairman, CEO, The Dow Chemical Company
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: Liveris has a lot at stake. His company donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration celebration while lobbying his administration extensively on a host of issues — including pesticide regulation. Liveris chairs the manufacturing initiative.
Bill Brown
CEO, Harris Corporation
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Harris Corporation sells a ton of tech and other services to the U.S. government. He has expressed optimism about Trump’s agenda.
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Michael Dell
CEO, Dell Technologies
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Dell has found a lot to like in Trump’s comments about tax and infrastructure reforms.
John Ferriola
Chairman, president, CEO, Nucor Corporation
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: The former chief executive of this Charlotte-based steelmaker, Dan DiMicco, quietly advised Trump during his transition into the Oval Office. Otherwise, the steel industry finds a lot to like in Trump’s efforts to impose “buy American” restrictions, among other things.
Jeff Fettig
Chairman, former CEO, Whirlpool Corporation
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: For Fettig and Whirlpool, which seek to battle back Samsung and LG, one key hope is that the Trump administration comes down on their side on issues like trade.
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Alex Gorsky
Chairman, CEO, Johnson & Johnson
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: The drug industry — and the prices they charge — have been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs for months now. To that end, health care reform matters greatly for Johnson & Johnson.
Greg Hayes
Chairman, CEO, United Technologies Corp.
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Hayes and Trump have a complicated history. Remember, United Technologies is the parent company to Carrier, which Trump criticized during the 2016 campaign for shipping jobs to Mexico. Shortly after Trump’s presidential victory, however, Carrier announced it would preserve 1,000 jobs in the United States and invest domestically in exchange for tax breaks. But Trump has faced immense criticism in the months following the news, as Carrier has proceeded with job cuts anyway.
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Marillyn Hewson
Chairman, president, CEO, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why she’s there: Hewson’s entire industry had faced plenty of flack from Trump in the early days of his presidency, as the White House sought to needle companies that maintained factories overseas. For Lockheed, in particular, the concern had been the company’s F-35 program, which Trump slammed for its cost. Since then, however, Hewson has expressed optimism about Trump’s work on areas like defense. Meanwhile, some of the F-35 blowback has died down.
Jim Kamsickas
President, CEO, Dana Inc.
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Dana Inc. is an auto supply company, so it has plenty to watch as the Trump administration gets to work on renegotiating trade deals like NAFTA.
Rich Kyle
President, CEO, The Timken Company
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Another steel company, Timken’s president, Rich Kyle, has plenty to gain by Trump’s efforts to probe steel dumping in U.S. markets. (He even attended a major White House event on it.)
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Jeff Immelt
Chairman, former CEO, General Electric
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he joined: “I think we’re cowards if we don’t take a position occasionally on those things that are really consistent with what our mission is and where our people stand,” Immelt previously said. In the aftermath of the Charlottesville incident, Immelt’s company condemned the “violent extremism” on display — but said Immelt would continue on the council in a bid to “drive growth and productivity.”
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Denise Morrison
President, CEO, Campbell Soup Company
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why she’s there: “I think CEOs have to have a seat at the table, and influence policy, I think that’s really an important idea,” she told CNBC.
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Dennis Muilenburg
Chairman, president, CEO, Boeing
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Boeing took plenty of heat from the president in the earliest days of his administration, as Trump went to war with the company over the cost of Air Force One. Since then, though, Muilenburg has hosted Trump in South Carolina — and cozied up to the administration.
Michael Polk
CEO, Newell Brands
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: In February, Polk didn’t mince words: He saw “huge opportunity” for M&A beginning in 2017, even though he didn’t mention Trump in that context. Nevertheless, he expressed some tempered optimism in other areas like tax and infrastructure reforms. “I don’t think that either of those issues will present themselves in 2017. I’d be surprised if they had a material impact on this year,” he said.
Mark Sutton
Chairman, CEO, International Paper
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Asked about Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris agreement — a move that led some of his peers to cease advising the White House — Sutton took a more positive approach. “I do think the president is listening, I do think he’s trying to manage a lot of different issues for a lot of different constituents,” he said. “So I’m still engaged and think that the business community has a role to play in improving the economy in the U.S. and, for a company like International Paper, the economy globally.”
Wendell Weeks
CEO, Corning
Role: Participant in the manufacturing initiative
Why he’s there: Weeks, like others in the bunch, similarly has credited Trump with some of his company’s recent decisions — including a July effort on glass packaging. He didn’t secure any new tax breaks for Corning, he said at the time. But there was something at stake: “You can’t re-industrialize a major industry like this without touching the government at every level. We need our product to be approved by the FDA. We need our process to be approved by the EPA,” he said.
Who we’re tracking
A number of business executives tapped by Trump have since left their corporate posts. In doing so, though, it’s unclear if each company plans to continue advising the White House — or if those executives will do so in a personal capacity.
Adding to the difficulty is the nature of Trump’s manufacturing initiative, which the White House chartered with the full intention of having a fluid roster.
The members of that group whose participation remains unclear include:
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Mark Fields
Former CEO, Ford Motor Company
Why he’s there: Fields is no longer the leader of Ford, but the company has a lot at stake with Trump, who has slammed automakers for producing their vehicles overseas. Previously, Fields has criticized the president on issues like immigration.
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Mario Longhi
Former CEO, U.S. Steel
Why he’s there: As with other steel executives, Longhi likes Trump’s work to probe steel imports. He has since stepped down as CEO of U.S. Steel.
Doug Oberhelman
Former CEO, Caterpillar
Why he’s there: Caterpillar sought to cozy up to Trump at the beginning of his presidency — remember that photo of Trump on a tractor? The company, however, has been accused of tax fraud, and an investigation is ongoing.
Klaus Kleinfeld
Former Chairman, CEO, Arconic
Why he’s there? It isn’t clear if he is — as Kleinfeld had been ousted by his hedge fund for threatening a fellow employee.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.