The chief executive of the German conglomerate Siemens AG said President Trump’s attacks on four minority congresswomen are turning the world’s most important political office “into the face of racism and exclusion.”
“I find it depressing,” Joe Kaeser, who heads the Munich-based industrial giant, tweeted, recalling more welcoming experiences when he was working in California. “I have lived in the USA for many years, experiencing freedom, tolerance and openness as never before,” he said.
Kaesar’s condemnation followed a news article about the president’s campaign rally in Greenville, North Carolina last week, during which the crowd began chanting “send her back” in reference to Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Trump has attacked Omar and three other Democratic lawmakers of color — collectively known as “the squad” — for what he says are anti-American statements. The members of “the squad,” in addition to Omar, are Democratic Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. All are U.S. citizens, though Omar was born in Somalia.
Trump said last week he tried to stop the “send her back chant” during his rally, but hasn’t halted his own attacks.
“The ‘Squad’ is a very Racist group of troublemakers who are young, inexperienced, and not very smart. They are pulling the once great Democrat Party far left, and were against humanitarian aid at the Border…And are now against ICE and Homeland Security. So bad for our Country!” Trump tweeted Monday.
The “Squad” is a very Racist group of troublemakers who are young, inexperienced, and not very smart. They are pulling the once great Democrat Party far left, and were against humanitarian aid at the Border…And are now against ICE and Homeland Security. So bad for our Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 22, 2019
On Tuesday, the president said Ocasio-Cortez, Pressley, Omar, and Tlaib were “a nightmare for America.”
While leaders in the business community have not held back in criticizing the president’s policies, including those designed to limit immigration into the U.S., the 62-year-old Kaesar appears to be the only executive to denounce Trump’s most recent comments.
Kaesar has worked at Siemens, which has nearly 380,000 employees around the world, since 1980. He took over as its CEO in 2013.
