Looks like the president just took another big hit.
The rift between Trump and the business world continues to grow after the president’s refusal to condemn white supremacists. The latest defector is the CEO of Dr Pepper, who announced he was stepping down from Trump’s Dr Pepper Advisory Council in protest.
The powerful statement from Dr Pepper CEO Larry Young leaves no ambiguity about it:
I can no longer in good conscience continue to advise the president on Dr Pepper- and Diet Dr Pepper-related issues of national importance. Racism and bigotry are in no way compatible with Dr Pepper’s unique blend of 23 flavors, so I am resigning from the Dr Pepper Advisory Council.
Bravo, sir. You’re putting Dr Pepper on the right side of history.
While the CEOs of Raytheon, General Motors, and Viacom all remain on the Dr Pepper council and have not yet announced any intention to leave, this is still a massive blow to Trump. The CEO of Dr Pepper was one of the world’s foremost experts on Dr Pepper, and without his guidance it’s hard to feel confident that Trump will make wise decisions regarding the brown, non-cola soda.
Of course, Trump didn’t take the resignation well and immediately lashed out in response:
Many Washington analysts had hoped that the Dr Pepper Advisory Council would be a moderating influence on Trump, and lead him from the political fringes to more mainstream views about Dr Pepper. Unfortunately it seems that the president’s racist opinions will interfere with the important Dr Pepper work the council was supposed to do.
Just a few short months after being founded, the Dr Pepper Advisory Council is already in shambles. If Trump keeps alienating executives like this he’ll go down as one of the worst U.S. presidents for Dr Pepper in history.
