WASHINGTON—Scott Paul, president of the American Alliance for Manufacturing, and Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, resigned from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative Aug. 15. Thea Lee, deputy chief of staff for the AFL-CIO, also stepped down.
Paul announced via Twitter that he is resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative, saying in the tweet that “it's the right thing to do.”
I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do.
— Scott Paul (@ScottPaulAAM) August 15, 2017
Trumka resigned later in the day Aug. 15, tweeting that his resignation was effective immediately.
I cannot sit on a council for a President that tolerates bigotry and domestic terrorism; I resign, effective immediately. pic.twitter.com/ip6F2nsoog
— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) August 15, 2017
Prior to announcing his resignation, Trumka was outspoken about the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., and criticized President Trump's response to it.
“Yesterday in #Charlottesville the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis,” he tweeted Aug. 13. He added:
“This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America. #Charlottesville.” He later tweeted: “#Charlottesville response must begin w/ leaders, starting w/ POTUS, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry”
Yesterday in #Charlottesville the nation and the world witnessed the hateful views and violent actions of white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) August 13, 2017
This racism and bigotry is the worst kind of evil in our world and does not represent the true values of America. #Charlottesville
— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) August 13, 2017
#Charlottesville response must begin w/ leaders, starting w/ POTUS, acknowledging this for what it is: domestic terrorism rooted in bigotry
— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) August 13, 2017
Paul did not immediately expound on his decision, and the AAM did not immediately provide a statement. He had, however, previously retweeted a statement from Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, reading “I stand with my Republican colleague. This was domestic terrorism. We must all condemn white nationalism. -SB”
Brown was responding to a tweet from fellow Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, which read: “The tragedy in Charlottesville this afternoon was domestic terrorism. We must all condemn hatred and white nationalism.”
I stand with my Republican colleague. This was domestic terrorism. We must all condemn white nationalism. -SB https://t.co/3EaqilKL7h
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) August 12, 2017
Counting the resignations of Paul, Trumka and Lee, six have resigned from the council in the wake of the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and President Trump's response to it. Merck Pharma CEO Ken Frazier was the first to step down, followed by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank and Intel CEO Brian Krzanich.
Minutes before Paul announced his intentions, Trump tweeted about members of the council.
"For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!" Trump tweeted.
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