Walmart CEO won’t resign from Trump advisory council

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says he will remain on President Trump’s business advisory council, although he’s offering criticism of Trump’s response to the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

McMillon, a member of Trump’s strategic and policy forum, said in a statement Monday that the president “missed a critical opportunity” to reject white supremacists, but that he believes he “should stay engaged” to influence Trump’s decisions.

“Representing a company with the largest and one of the most diverse groups of associates in the U.S., and an even more diverse customer base of tens of millions of customers, we believe we should stay engaged to try to influence decisions in a positive way and help bring people together,” he said.

{mosads}“I will continue to strongly advocate on behalf of our associates and customers, and urge our elected officials to do their part to promote a more just, tolerant and diverse society,” McMillon said.

Five business leaders have resigned from Trump’s American Manufacturing Council over the president’s response to the deadly violence at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville.

McMillon was one of several business leaders who attended a White House policy forum in February. 

The Walmart CEO did criticize Trump’s response, saying that Walmart’s role in helping “to building a more diverse and inclusive society is more critical than ever.”

“As we watched the events and the response from President Trump over the weekend, we too felt that he missed a critical opportunity to help bring our country together by unequivocally rejecting the appalling actions of white supremacists,” McMillon said. “His remarks today were a step in the right direction and we need that clarity and consistency in the future.”