Uber CEO Travis Kalanick leaves President Donald Trump's business advisory group on Thursday due to pressure from human rights activists and dissatisfied employees who protest against the administration's immigration order. The order caused a major uproar in the country for temporarily banning Muslim refugees and travellers of seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States.
The CEO came under increasing pressure to leave the council only after Uber became the target of social media campaigns. The campaigns urged users to delete their Uber accounts and suggested that they should opt for rival Lyft Inc. Because of that, Uber has been emailing users who deleted their accounts to convey the message that the company shares concern over Trump's immigration policy and that, the company will compensate drivers affected by the ban. Fox Business reveals that Uber drivers were among those who criticised Trump's policies, many of whom are immigrants themselves.
Kalanick, who made mention of speaking briefly to Trump about the immigration order and "its issues for the community", told the president that he would no longer join the economic council. "Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his administration's agenda, but it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that," Kalanick said in an email to staff that was seen by Reuters.
"There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting people in all communities across America," he wrote in a note to employees. He also mentioned that families are being faced with separation, people are stranded overseas and there's a residual fear that the U.S. is no longer no longer welcomes immigrants.
