Uber CEO Travis Kalanick has decided to step down from his position on Trump's economic advisory board, according to emails sent to his employees that were obtained by The New York Times. This news comes less than a week after #DeleteUber was trending around the country, as a result of Uber continuing to pick up passengers during the taxi strike at JFK airport, which was done in solidarity with the Muslim ban protests. Many past Uber users saw this as the final straw, and began posting screenshots on social media of the messages they were sending to the car service company when asked why they were deleting the app.
That same day, Kalanick was also criticized for his mealy-mouthed response to the Muslim ban, as well as his involvement and defense of the fact that he was a member of Trump's advisory board:
"I understand that many people internally and externally may not agree with that decision, and that’s OK. It’s the magic of living in America that people are free to disagree."
But in today's email, Kalanick made clear that he had plans to part ways with Trump completely:
Earlier today I spoke briefly with the president about the immigration executive order and its issues for our community. I also let him know that I would not be able to participate on his economic council. Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that.
So, #DeleteUber worked. Great job, everybody, and make sure to appreciate this win. This means that enough people responded negatively to Kalanick's ties to Trump (by deleting the app, or negatively covering him in the press) that it caused him to feel that the company was in jeopardy. The victory demonstrates that the general public has enough sway to make those working in the private sector think twice about cozying up to Trump, and hopefully sends a warning sign out to future companies with ties to the White House.