U.S. President Donald Trump will likely be questioned about his executive order of travel ban when he meets with the CEOs of leading U.S. corporations at the White House on Friday. Trump's travel ban has drawn major opposition in the United States, including criticism and protests from the major companies.
Trump's order was released last Friday, suspending the U.S. refugee program for 120 days and placing a three-month travel ban on visitors from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Along with protests it has brought legal challenges in the United States and drawn criticism from several leading U.S. companies.
The CEOs that are expected to attend the business advisory panel meeting with the president are JPMorgan Chase & Co, Blackstone Group LP, General Motors Co, IBM Corp, Uber Technologies Inc and Walt Disney Co, according to Reuters. They are faced with difficult choices to either criticize Trump's move, or remain silent at consumers and employees dismayed by the order to win the White House's support on tax and trade policies.
A group of religious investors and human rights groups activists pressured the CEOs to raise concerns about the travel restrictions at the meeting, which brings them to the end of another turbulent week for the Trump administration. The group addressed the corporate leaders in a joint letter, saying that Trump's order "undermines respect for human rights and the lives of workers and their families in the United States and beyond, and disturbs economic activity and company operations."
The White House, however, did not comment on the meeting. Trump has held numerous meeting with the CEOs since he started taking over the office. According to Business Insider, the meeting includes leaders of major automakers, manufacturers, aerospace and pharmaceutical companies.
The list doesn't include some of the companies that have been most critical of Trump's immigration orders such as Apple, Netflix and Amazon. The corporations are not a part of the business advisory panel.
