Trump attacks black CEO for speaking out on his failure to condemn white supremacists

Donald Trump took to his Twitter account to attack Merck CEO and chairman Kenneth Frazier, who is black, after the businessman resigned from Trump’s “American Manufacturing Council.”

Frazier announced that he was leaving the council with a release that said, “As a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism,” adding, “America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy, which run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal.”

His statement also noted, “Our country’s strength stems from its diversity and the contributions made by men and women of different faiths, races, sexual orientations and political beliefs.”

The statement was a clear reference to Trump’s ongoing equivocation after the racial attack and murder from white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia. Instead of calling out the attackers and their ideology — and their support of his presidency — Trump said “many sides” were to blame for the violence.

In contrast with his laconic response to the attack, Trump instantly jumped on Frazier’s statement. Less than an hour after Merck posted the message, Trump tweeted, “Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President’s Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!”

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

The Anne Frank Center called Frazier’s actions “heroic” and called on other business leaders to resign from Trump’s advisory councils in reaction to his terrible stance on racism.

Other business leaders have previously quit Trump’s advisory councils. Elon Musk of Tesla and Bob Iger of Disney left a strategy and policy panel after Trump pulled out of the Paris climate accords.