Professional
ballet dancer Misty Copeland and wrestler turned-actor Dwayne "The
Rock" Johnson joined National Basketball Association star Stephen Curry in
opposing
comments made by the chief executive of their sponsor Under Armour
supporting U.S. President Donald Trump.
On Tuesday,
Plank expressed support for Trump on CNBC, saying: "To have such a
pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country."
On Thursday,
Copeland wrote on her Instagram page (@mistyonpointe) that she strongly
disagrees with Plank's recent comments in support of Trump.
Johnson on
Twitter (@TheRock) also posted that Plank's words on CNBC were neither his
words or his beliefs. But he added that his disagreement does not mean he will
be abandoning Under Armour, with which he currently has a shoe line.
Copeland and
Johnson join a number of athletes including Curry to speak out against Trump.
In an
interview with The San Jose Mercury News on Wednesday, Curry, one of Under
Armour's most-visible athletes, said, "I agree with that description (of
asset made by Plank), if you remove the 'et'."
A number of
NBA players including Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James, who is
endorsed by Nike Inc, have recently expressed concerns over Trump's policies.
But Curry is the first player to directly oppose comments made by their
sponsor.
Plank's
comments immediately drew backlash on social media with many using hashtags
#boycottUnderArmour and #Grabyourwallet to promote a campaign against pro-Trump
companies.
Under Armour
has since released a statement saying Plank's comments were in regard to
Trump's business policies, not his social viewpoints.
"We
believe in advocating for fair trade, an inclusive immigration policy that
welcomes the best and the brightest and those seeking opportunity in the great
tradition of our country, and tax reform that drives hiring to help create new
jobs globally, across America and in Baltimore," the company said. Under Armour
is based in Baltimore.
Under Armour
was not immediately available for comment on Thursday.
Curry, who
has a multimillion-dollar contract that includes an equity stake in Under
Armour that runs through 2024, said in the interview that Plank working with
Trump is not a deal-breaker, but he is more concerned about Under Armour
adopting Trump's values.
Curry
endorsed Hilary Clinton, Trump's Democrat opponent, in the Nov. 8 election.
Shares of
Under Armour closed up nearly 3 percent at $21.71 on Thursday.
REUTERS
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