CEOs tend to walk a fine line when it comes to politics. In times of strife,dowlond video lucah dara it's common for chief executives to release mealy-mouthed statements full of corporate nothingspeak—and this is nothing if not a time of strife.
After Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, however, many corporate leaders (especially those in the tech industry) have come out with some ostensibly strong statements. But what are they actually saying?
Apple's Tim Cook
Cook's been growing out of his shell, and seems to be growing more comfortable taking bold stands on issues.
What he said: In a memo to Apple Staff, "It is not a policy we support," and later, "In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, 'We may have all come on different ships, but we are in the same boat now.'"
What he meant: This could hurt our business, but also, it's just a bad idea.
Amazon's Jeff Bezos
The Vergegot their hands on an internal memo from the Amazon CEO primarily focused on the ban's impact on the company. Bezos has been among the most publicly critical of Trump, but hasn't released a public statement about the executive order.
What he said: "We are committed to supporting all of our employees and anyone in their immediate family who may be impacted by this order, including assistance with legal counsel and support, and will continue to monitor any developments."
What he means: This is messed up, but we as a giant mega-corporation are going to be able to help you, our loyal employees.
Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg
Zuckerberg has worked hard to keep Facebook as close to politically neutral as possible, but wrote in a Facebook post that he's "concerned" about the order.
What he said:"We need to keep this country safe, but we should do that by focusing on people who actually pose a threat. Expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats would make all Americans less safe by diverting resources, while millions of undocumented folks who don't pose a threat will live in fear of deportation.
"We should also keep our doors open to refugees and those who need help. That's who we are. Had we turned away refugees a few decades ago, Priscilla's family wouldn't be here today."
What he means: This is a poorly conceived policy that does far more harm than any good it claims to create.
Tesla's Elon Musk
Musk has been toeing the line between opposing Trump and maintaining good relations with his administration.
What he said:In two tweets, "The blanket entry ban on citizens from certain primarily Muslim countries is not the best way to address the country’s challenges," and "Many people negatively affected by this policy are strong supporters of the US. They've done right,not wrong & don't deserve to be rejected."
What he meant: Not a great idea but, hey, we're still buds, right? Oh, btw, some immigrants are cool.
Uber's Travis Kalanick
Kalanick and Uber had already been under fire for saying that they're trying to work with Trump. He's also meeting with Trump on Friday as part of the president's business advisory council.
What he said:In a blog post, "I understand that many people internally and externally may not agree with that decision, and that’s OK. It's the magic of living in America that people are free to disagree. But whatever your view please know that I’ve always believed in principled confrontation and just change; and have never shied away (maybe to my detriment) from fighting for what’s right."
What he meant: I have to say something so here's a feel-good statement about America. We're also going to (supposedly) help out our drivers.
Google's Sundar Pichai
CEO Pichai is among the most high-profile immigrants in Silicon Valley, having been born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
What he said: In an internal memo obtained by Bloomberg, Pichai wrote, "We’ve always made our view on immigration issues known publicly and will continue to do so."
What he means: We're gearing up for a fight. Bring it.
Netflix's Reed Hastings
Hastings tends to be a straight shooter. This time around wasn't any different.
What he said:"Trump's actions are hurting Netflix employees around the world, and are so un-American it pains us all. Worse, these actions will make America less safe (through hatred and loss of allies) rather than more safe."
What he meant:Your policy is bad, and you should feel bad.
Slack's Stewart Butterfield
Rarely one to mince words, Butterfield dropped a tweetstorm that among the most aggressive statements from any CEO.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
What he said: "Nearly every action seems gratuitously evil," and "Immigration is unambiguously an economic benefit, but, doesn't matter: do the right thing because it's right."
What he means:This policy is not just evil, but it's also dumb.
Twitter's Jack Dorsey
Dorsey has been battling bad PR due to the abuse problem on Twitter, but has been a supporter of movements like Black Lives Matter.
What he said:In a tweet, "The Executive Order's humanitarian and economic impact is real and upsetting. We benefit from what refugees and immigrants bring to the U.S."
What he meant: Bad policy, and trust me, I would know bad policy.
Box's Aaron Levie
Levie tends to say what's on his mind, often with a bit of humor. He's well worth following on Twitter.
What he said: "On basically any level — moral, economic, or logical — this is the wrong thing to do and is antithetical to America’s principles."
What he means: It would be hard to imagine a worse policy than this.
Lyft's Logan Green
Lyft has emerged with plenty of good press, thanks to a strong pushback against Uber over what's been widely-perceived as a pro-Trump stance.
What he said: "Throughout our history, Lyft has worked hard to create an inclusive, diverse and conscientious community where all of our drivers and passengers feel welcome and respected. Banning people of a particular religion from entering the U.S. is antithetical to both Lyft's and our nation's core values," as told to Recode.
What he means: This is bullshit, and our company is anti-bullshit.
Starbucks' Howard Schultz
Schultz might be politically-aware to a fault. He once tried to start a program that encouraged baristas to talk with customers about race issues. He's pledged the company's continued support for the "Dreamers" immigration program, open trade with Mexico, healthcare for employees, and now, the hiring of refugees.
What he said: In an open letter to Starbucks employees, "There are more than 65 million citizens of the world recognized as refugees by the United Nations, and we are developing plans to hire 10,000 of them over five years in the 75 countries around the world where Starbucks does business. And we will start this effort here in the U.S. by making the initial focus of our hiring efforts on those individuals who have served with U.S. troops as interpreters and support personnel in the various countries where our military has asked for such support."
What he meant:Please enjoy this grande Pike Place, half-caf, middle finger on ice. With almond milk.
Salesforce's Mark Benioff
Benioff is among the most outspoken CEOs of major companies.
What he said:On Twitter, he quoted a Bible verse: "When we close our hearts & stop loving other people as ourselves (MK 12:31) we forget who we truly are---a light unto the nations. #noban"
What he meant: It's not just Trump who should feel bad about this ban. It's also his Christian conservative base.
Airbnb's Brian Chesky
Chesky chose to go with a proactive statement, offering housing to refugees in need.
What he said:"Airbnb is providing free housing to refugees and anyone not allowed in the US. Stayed tuned for more, contact me if urgent need for housing"
What he meant:We will subvert this ban. Also, to the local legislators trying to regulate us who now find themselves opposing the ban, come on, how totally great is Airbnb?
Microsoft's Satya Nadella
Nadella, born in Hyderabad, India, has kept a relatively low-profile regarding politics.
What he said:On LinkedIn: "As an immigrant and as a CEO, I've both experienced and seen the positive impact that immigration has on our company, for the country, and for the world. We will continue to advocate on this important topic."
What he meant:This isn't just business—it's personal.
Nike's Mark Parker
Parker, a household name in the world of sports, is among the few non-tech CEOs to speak out.
What he said:In a memo to employees, "Regardless of whether or how you worship, where you come from or who you love, everyone’s individual experience is what make us stronger as a whole," adding "This is a policy we don't support."
What he meant:Just don't do it. Also, come at athletes, see what happens.
Y Combinator's Sam Altman
The head of Silicon Valley's favorite startup incubator attended the protest at the San Francisco International Airport.
What he said:In a blog post, "At a minimum, companies should take a public stance. But talking is only somewhat effective, and employees should push their companies to figure out what actions they can take."
What he meant: Enough talk. It's time for companies to flex their muscles, and employees can make that happen.
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