Fourth Executive Quits Trump’s Manufacturing Advisory Council

A fourth executive has stepped down from a presidential business advisory council, widening a rift between President Trump and business leaders that has opened in the aftermath of the weekend violence in Charlottesville, Va.

On Tuesday morning, Scott Paul, the president of the American Alliance for Manufacturing, a nonprofit group, said on Twitter that he was stepping down from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative “because it’s the right thing for me to do.”

His decision follows three high-profile defections on Monday, when the chief executives of Merck, Under Armour and Intel stepped down from the same panel. The resignations began on Monday, as Kenneth C. Frazier, the chief executive of Merck, announced he would step down from the manufacturing council. President Trump swiftly criticized Mr. Frazier on Twitter, and for much of the day, the Merck C.E.O. was the lonely voice of opposition in the business world.

But late Monday, Kevin Plank of Under Armor and Brian Krzanich of Intel announced they, too, were stepping down from the panel, followed by Mr. Paul on Tuesday.

The four men who have left the advisory groups in recent days follow similar steps by the chief executives of Uber, Tesla and Disney in recent months.

Also on Tuesday, Douglas McMillon, the chief executive of Walmart, made public a message to staff members that was critical of the president.

“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,” said Mr. McMillon, who is remaining on an advisory panel. “His remarks today were a step in the right direction and we need that clarity and consistency in the future.”

On Tuesday, the president lashed out at the defecting executives on Twitter. “For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place,” Mr. Trump said. “Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!”

Mr. Trump took office boasting of his business bona fides. The first billionaire chief executive to reside in the White House, he promised to bring boardroom deal making to Washington and surrounded himself with presidential advisory councils stacked with big name C.E.O.s.

But as controversy continues to swirl around the White House, the dozens of executives who agreed to serve on the president’s advisory groups are increasingly finding themselves at the center of unwanted debates. “This should be his strong suit: courting C.E.O.s,” said Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian at Rice University. “Instead, Trump finds himself with C.E.O.s not wanting to be in a photo op with the president. What should have been an honor has become an albatross.”

Dozens of executives remain on the various councils, including the leaders of Boeing, Amazon and Oracle. And since taking office, Mr. Trump has met with hundreds of business leaders.

The president’s strategic and advisory forum, a council convened by the private-equity executive Stephen A. Schwarzman at Mr. Trump’s behest, met with much fanfare in both February and early April, with participants like JPMorgan Chase’s chief executive, Jamie Dimon, and IBM’s chief, Ginni Rometty, in attendance.

But amid scheduling conflicts and dropouts, no meetings have since occurred. And no meetings of the strategic and advisory forum are scheduled.

For business leaders, the invitation to advise the president is traditionally a coveted distinction. “In general, it’s good for your reputation if the president asks you to serve on one of these councils, regardless of what the administration is doing, ” said Michael Strain, an economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.

But as Mr. Trump continues to rile his critics, the chief executives at his side are facing questions about their support for an administration mired in controversy.

On Monday, other executives said it was important to have a seat at the table. “We believe it continues to be important for Campbell to have a voice and provide input on matters that will affect our industry, our company and our employees in support of growth,” the Campbell Soup Company said in a statement, adding that its chief executive, Denise Morrison, will remain on the manufacturing council.

Dell, the computer maker, said its founder and chief executive, Michael Dell, would continue to advise the president as a way to “share our perspective on policy issues that affect our company, our customers and our employees.”

Those who stepped down spoke in often-personal terms about their motivations. Mr. Krzanich, the chief executive of Intel, was the most forthcoming of the C.E.O.s who have moved away from their advisory roles. In a blog post late on Monday, Mr. Krzanich explained his thinking.

“I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them,” Mr. Krzanich said. “We should honor — not attack — those who have stood up for equality and other cherished American values.”

Mr. Plank, the chief executive of Under Armour, spoke of the tension between wanting to engage with decision makers in Washington, but being turned off by excessive politicization. “I joined the American Manufacturing Council because I believed it was important for Under Armour to have an active seat at the table and represent our industry,” he said. “We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing. However, Under Armour engages in innovation and sports, not politics.”