Billionaire CEOs have lined up to kiss President Donald Trump's feet — and NYU Professor Scott Galloway wants America to put a stop to it.
Speaking to MS NOW's Nicolle Wallace on the latest edition of her "All the Best People" podcast, Galloway, who is spearheading a movement to boycott tech companies like Apple and Amazon that have rolled over for the president, outlined why he thinks so many of them are knuckling under — and why it wouldn't take much to send the message that's not going to fly anymore.
"Their actions ... seem to beworse," said Wallace. "I mean, they are theexecutives that stood shoulderto shoulder with Donald Trumpat his inauguration, which wasan appalling spectacle. But Ithink [Apple CEO] Tim Cook was at the White House in a tuxedo the day afterAlex Pretti was killed. Why do theyact so immune to the thingsthat enrage not 30-40 percent ofAmericans, but 67 percent of Americansdon't approve of Donald Trump?"
"Well, I can tell you whatthey tell me, and I haveempathy for them, is thatthey're a fiduciary for shareholder value, and theyjust want to wait this guy out," said Galloway. "And while they may not agreewith all his actions, that agood autocrat and kleptocratdoes a very good job ofpunishing anyone that goesfirst. So everyone is kind ofscared to speak out. Inaddition, if you'll notice, thepeople who he parades aroundhave avoided tariffs, might getcarveouts from Chinese tariffs,might get a government-backedprogram that helps pay fortheir data centers or theirchips programs."
That being said, Galloway continued, "the logicalor the retort is the following.You have some fidelity, or youshould have some loyalty tofair markets, to civil rights,to American values that havemade you a billionaire andbuilt these incrediblecompanies."
"What I try to do,and I've spoken to about 20 percent ofthe CEOs on the list, is appealto their emotions," he said. "And that isthese are all older men. You'regoing to be dead soon whenyou're, you know, when yourkids are around you towards theend. Do you want to be known asthe guy who got yourshareholder value up 3 percent or 10 percent,or do you want to be known asthe guy that did the rightthing, even when it was reallyhard?"
"So for the life of me to call, I can't understand whythese guys — this is such anincredible opportunity todemonstrate some leadership andspeak out and have the 70 percent ofthe American public stand upand say, right on, brother," said Galloway. "Soto me, this is not only thewrong decision, it's aneconomic opportunity for one ofthem to take a leadership stand."