Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank announced on Monday that he is stepping down from President Donald Trump’s American Manufacturing Council, saying the company “engages in innovation and sports, not politics.”
The move comes after Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier, the only black business leader in the council, resigned from the group after Trump initially failed to explicitly denounce white nationalists following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia.
A number of other CEOs have said they will remain on the council in order to impact policy going forward.
Plank previously stepped into the political arena by calling Trump “a real asset to this country.” Plank later clarified his comments saying it was “unfortunate that my words got characterized in a way that were meant to be divisive in some way, shape, or form.”
Trump almost immediately attacked Frazier on Twitter after his resignation, Trump has so far not done the same to Plank.
Here is Plank’s full statement:
“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.
I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served, but have decided to step down from the council. I love our country and our company and will continue to focus my efforts on inspiring every person that they can do anything through the power of sport which promotes unity, diversity and inclusion.”
As reported by Business Insider