American pharmaceutical company Merck’s Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Frazier resigned from the United States president’s American Manufacturing Council on Monday. His statement said he was taking a stand “against intolerance and extremism”.
Frazier said that America’s leaders must honour the country’s fundamental values by “clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy” as these run counter to the American ideal that all people are created equal.
His resignation was in protest against Unites States President Donald Trump’s statement blaming “many sides” for Saturday’s violence in the US city of Charlottesville. A white nationalist rally turned violent in the city when a car rammed into many people who were protesting peacefully against the demonstration.
Trump has since faced widespread criticism for not specifically denouncing the white supremacists. Just about an hour after Frazier announced his resignation, Trump lashed out at him.
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