The CEO of athletic wear manufacturer Under Armour is resigning from the president's American Manufacturing Council, saying his company "engages in innovation and sports, not politics".

Kevin Plank's announcement came on Monday after Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier announced he was leaving US President Donald Trump's business advisory board.

The resignations followed Saturday's violent confrontation between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia. Trump initially bemoaned violence on "many sides", though on Monday he described members of the KKK, neo-Nazis and white nationalists as "criminals and thugs".

Frazier said the country's leaders must "honor our fundamental values by clearly rejecting expressions of hatred, bigotry and group supremacy".

"As CEO of Merck and as a matter of personal conscience, I feel a responsibility to take a stand against intolerance and extremism," Frazier said.

Trump responded shortly after in a tweet, saying that now "Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!"

Trump doubled down on his attack later in the day, tweeting that Merck "is a leader in higher & higher drug prices while at the same time taking jobs out of the U.S. Bring jobs back & LOWER PRICES!"

The son of a janitor, Frazier joined Merck as general counsel of one of the drugmaker's subsidiaries in 1992, working his way up to CEO of the company in 2011.

Plank did not specifically mention Trump or Charlottesville, but said his company will focus on promoting "unity, diversity and inclusion" through sports.

"I joined the American Manufacturing Council because I believed it was important for Under Armour to have an active seat at the table and represent our industry," Plank said in a statement. "We remain resolute in our potential and ability to improve American manufacturing

" ... I am appreciative of the opportunity to have served, but have decided to step down from the council."

Associated Press - Reuters

(China Daily USA 08/15/2017 page2)