Intel CEO Brian Krzanich Drops Out Of President Trump's Manufacturing Council

President Donald Trump has been spearheading a special council that puts some of the best executives in the country in one place with the hope of improving manufacturing in the US. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich has announced via a blog post that he has abandoned the council. Krzanich wrote, "Earlier today, I tendered my resignation from the American Manufacturing Council. I resigned to call attention to the serious harm our divided political climate is causing to critical issues, including the serious need to address the decline of American manufacturing. Politics and political agendas have sidelined the important mission of rebuilding America’s manufacturing base."

Bringing more manufacturing jobs to the US has been a major initiative for President Trump since the early days of his campaign. Trump has had some success in getting manufacturing operations to come back to the US so far. In July, the President claimed a win when he said that Apple was bringing three "beautiful" manufacturing facilities to the US. Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn has also announced that it is bringing an LCD manufacturing facility to the US. The rub with these operations coming back to the US is that the increased cost will likely result in increasing prices for products.

Trump's American manufacturing Council has seen several high profile executives abandon the council of late. Under Armor CEO Kevin Plank and Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier both left the council this week citing backlash over violence in Virginia as the reason. Krzanich wrote:

I have already made clear my abhorrence at the recent hate-spawned violence in Charlottesville, and earlier today I called on all leaders to condemn the white supremacists and their ilk who marched and committed violence. I resigned because I want to make progress, while many in Washington seem more concerned with attacking anyone who disagrees with them. We should honor – not attack – those who have stood up for equality and other cherished American values. I hope this will change, and I remain willing to serve when it does.

I am not a politician. I am an engineer who has spent most of his career working in factories that manufacture the world’s most advanced devices. Yet, it is clear even to me that nearly every issue is now politicized to the point where significant progress is impossible. Promoting American manufacturing should not be a political issue.

Krzanich doesn't say exactly what he thinks Trump should do to address this issue or how exactly leaving the council is going to help improve US manufacturing.