Trump Cites 'Grandstanders' After Another Executive Leaves His Business Council

President Trump, seen here boarding Air Force One on Monday, has new criticism for business leaders who are leaving his manufacturing council. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/APhide caption

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Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Scott Paul, the president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, is adding his name to the list of executives who've resigned from President Trump's manufacturing council, prompting new criticism from the president.

"I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do," Paul wrote in a tweet Tuesday.

I'm resigning from the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative because it's the right thing for me to do.
— Scott Paul (@ScottPaulAAM) August 15, 2017

Even before Paul posted about his resignation on Twitter, the president beat him to the tweet, writing some 15 minutes earlier, "For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!"

For every CEO that drops out of the Manufacturing Council, I have many to take their place. Grandstanders should not have gone on. JOBS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 15, 2017

By departing, Paul follows in the footsteps of three CEOs — Merck's Kenneth Frazier, Under Armour's Kevin Plank and Intel's Brian Krzanich — who resigned from the council on Monday in the wake of the president's heavily criticized handling of the deadly violence that erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend.

Frazier said in announcing his decision, "I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism."

Of his departure, Trump replied, "Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned ... he will have more time to lower ripoff drug prices!"

The council was formed back in January, when Trump launched the Manufacturing Jobs Initiative as part of his effort to create American jobs. At the time, the White House said the president would be "meeting with some of the world's most successful and creative business leaders to share their experiences and gain their insights."

Tesla founder Elon Musk left the manufacturing council and another presidential advisory group in June, citing his disagreement with Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accord.

Here is the list of 28 business leaders the White House said were named to the council on Jan. 27 — we've used dashes to highlight the executives who have resigned:

Andrew Liveris, The Dow Chemical Company

Bill Brown, Harris Corporation

Michael Dell, Dell Technologies

John Ferriola, Nucor Corporation

Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool Corporation

Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company (now retired)

— Ken Frazier, Merck & Co., Inc. --

Alex Gorsky, Johnson & Johnson

Greg Hayes, United Technologies Corp.

Marilynn Hewson, Lockheed Martin Corporation

Jeff Immelt, General Electric

Jim Kamsickas, Dana Inc.