On Wednesday, President Trump called on his supporters to boycott Goodyear tires after the company allegedly banned MAGA hats and other attire with conservative slogans worn within the company while endorsing left-wing activism.
“Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!),” the president tweeted.
Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
The president’s call to arms sparked severe outrage from the Left, who said it was just another example of Trump’s vengeful pettiness.
“The President of the United States is so petty and vengeful that after Goodyear Tires announced a ban on MAGA hats, Trump feels compelled to lash out on them on Twitter and try to start a boycott movement. This man is in charge of our nuclear codes, yet acts like a spoiled baby,” tweeted Dr. Eugene Gu. “The typical response would be for liberals to buy a bunch of Goodyear Tires and conservatives to start posting videos about them slashing expensive tires to show soldarity (sic) with Trump. What a waste of money, resources, and the environment. Just stop this madness once and for all.”
The typical response would be for liberals to buy a bunch of Goodyear Tires and conservatives to start posting videos about them slashing expensive tires to show soldarity with Trump. What a waste of money, resources, and the environment. Just stop this madness once and for all.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) August 19, 2020
“Facts: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 and based in Akron, Ohio. They employ about 69,000 people including at least a thousand veterans,” tweeted actress Mia Farrow.
Facts: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 and based in Akron,Ohio. They employ about 69,000 people including at least a thousand veterans
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) August 19, 2020
“GOODYEAR TIRES has been an American gem since 1898, and now Trump wants Americans to abandon them just because they don’t support him politically. Trump isn’t President for America. He’s only president for his supporters. This proves it!” tweeted “Mrs. Krassenstein.”
GOODYEAR TIRES has been an American gem since 1898, and now Trump wants Americans to abandon them just because they don't support him politically.
Trump isn't President for America. He's only president for his supporters. This proves it!
— Mrs. Krassenstein (@HKrassenstein) August 19, 2020
As The Daily Wire reported, an anonymous employee of Goodyear leaked a photo from an alleged policy slideshow, which showed that the company accepted activism for left-wing causes like Black Lives Matter and LGBT while banning conservative causes.
“If someone wants to wear a BLM shirt in here, then cool. I’m not going to get offended about it,” the anonymous employee told local news. “But at the same time, if someone’s not going to be able to wear something that is politically based, even in the farthest stretch of the imagination, that’s discriminatory. If we’re talking about equality, then it needs to be equality. If not, it’s discrimination.”
In a statement, Goodyear said that it supports its employees’ right to express themselves for certain causes while asking that they refrain from political campaigning.
“Goodyear is committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace where all of our associates can do their best in a spirit of teamwork,” the statement said. “As part of this commitment, we do allow our associates to express their support on racial injustice and other equity issues but ask that they refrain from workplace expressions, verbal or otherwise, in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party as well as other similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of equity issues.”
Update: After President Trump called for the boycott of Goodyear, the company responded with a lengthy statement stating that the slide on the company’s “zero tolerance” policy “was not created or distributed by Goodyear corporate, nor was it part of a diversity training class.” The statement, however, also reiterates that the company asks that “associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party, as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equality issues.” Read the full statement here.