CEOs desert Donald Trump over Paris climate change decision

ANOTHER CEO has cut ties with the White House and Donald Trump in a backlash to his call to remove the US from the Paris climate change deal.

DISNEY CEO Bob Iger has also chosen to cut ties with the White House Advisory Council — making him the second chief executive to bail on President Trump after he decided to back out of the Paris climate agreement.

“As a matter of principle, I’ve resigned from the President’s Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal,” Mr Iger tweeted just hours after Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed that he would be stepping down as a result of Trump’s announcement.

Robert 'Bob' Iger is the CEO of Disney has left the President’s Council over the Paris decision. Picture: Supplied

Elon Musk has pulled out of the President’s Council. Picture: AFP

As a matter of principle, I've resigned from the President's Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal.

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) June 1, 2017

Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 1, 2017

Their resignations came after countless people blasted the president for pulling the US out of the global pact. Much of the criticism came from corporate America, and CEOs from several major companies.

“Disappointed with today’s decision on the Paris Agreement,” tweeted General Electric head Jeff Immelt, who is a member of Trump’s council on manufacturing,

Google CEO Sundar Pichai agreed, tweeting: “Google will keep working hard for a cleaner, more prosperous future for all.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said his company would still cut emissions. Picture: Getty

Jeff Immelt, global head of GE, was disappointed in Donald Trump’s call on Paris. Pictue: Supplied

Speaking to Bloomberg Television, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson described how Trump’s decision made him “want to cry.”

“It’s a sad day for Americans, it’s a sad day for the world, it’s a sad day for our grandchildren,” Branson explained. “And obviously as business people we have to pick ourselves up on a global basis and just get on and try to sort the problem out ourselves with the other 193 countries around the world.”

Musk — who along with Iger, had been on Trump’s business advisory panel — previously warned that he would be leaving the council should he choose to back out of the climate agreement.

Several CEOs and business heads reportedly made last minute calls to the president, begging him to stay, to no avail. Letters were also sent over the last few weeks, which apparently fell on deaf ears, as well.

Originally published as CEOs desert Donald Trump over Paris climate change decision