African-American CEO resigns from Trump council

WASHINGTON—The CEO of one of the United States’ largest drug companies announced Monday he is quitting President Donald Trump’s American Manufacturing Council because of the president’s response to violence this weekend at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. “America’s leaders must honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry, and group supremacy,” Kenneth Frazier wrote in a statement. “As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism.” Frazier, one of the few African-Americans leading a Fortune 500 company, was the only black CEO on Trump’s council. Trump’s initial response to the events in Charlottesville condemned hatred but did not single out racist groups. His statement did not sit well with Frazier or with many within the Republican Party. “We should call evil by its name,” Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, tweeted Saturday. “My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home.” Trump quickly tweeted after hearing Frazier would leave the council: “Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President’s Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!”