President Trump suggests a boycott of Goodyear

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -President Donald Trump angered various Ohio politicians and some Goodyear employees as he tweeted out a suggestion that people boycott Goodyear tires on the heels of the company explaining to some employees that Black Lives Matter attire was okay to wear in a Kansas plant, but Blue Lives Matter attire and MAGA attire were not permitted.

The President did not back down from his tweet when he was asked later in the afternoon, during a briefing, if he still believed consumers should boycott an American tire maker.

“When they say you can’t have Blue Lives Matter, you can’t show a blue line, you can’t wear a MAGA hat, but you can have other things that are Marxist in nature, there’s something wrong with the top of Goodyear,” the President said.

Goodyear released an initial statement on Tuesday night that backed up their policy but then followed up with another release on Wednesday that claimed the corporate office had nothing to do with the graphic that was shown to Kansas employees, but at the same time, again, backed the policy that allowed only advocacy regarding social justice and L.G.B.T. causes.

The Akron based company also made it very clear, in the statement, that despite their policy that they have, “..the upmost appreciation for the vital work police do on behalf of our shared communities.”

Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan reacted to the president’s tweet with one of his own.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown (D) attacked the President’s decision to call for a boycott of an American company.

“I do think it’s despicable when a President of the United States thinks it’s appropriate to call for a boycott of U.S. company where there are thousands and thousands of American workers,” Senator Brown said.

Reporters also peppered White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany with questions regarding the President’s decision to call for a boycott of Goodyear tires and wanted the White House’s reaction to the 2nd Goodyear statement.

“Goodyear needs to come out and clarify their policy, I did see their statement which still failed to clarify their policy,” McEnany said.

The President acknowledged that the Presidential limousine is equipped with Goodyear tires and would be okay with a decision to swap them out.

Copyright 2020 WOIO. All rights reserved.