Donald Trump throws epic tantrum after Goodyear tyres ‘bans’ MAGA hats – but allows LGBT+ and BLM support
Goodyear tyres denied producing the presentation slide, but confirmed that employees are asked to “refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party”. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Donald Trump threw a Twitter tantrum over unverified reports that tyre manufacturer Goodyear had banned MAGA hats, while supporting the LGBT+ community and and Black Lives Matter.
WIBW, a local news station in Topeka, Kansas, reported that an employee photographed a presentation slide during diversity training at the Goodyear Topeka plant showing what the company considers acceptable and unacceptable under its zero-tolerance policy. The Goodyear employee claimed that the slide had come from the company’s corporate office in Akron, Ohio.
The presentation slide showed that the company considered Black Lives Matter and LGBT+ Pride as “acceptable”, while “blue lives matter, all lives matter, MAGA [Make America Great Again] attire and political affiliated slogans or material” were considered “unacceptable”.
President Donald Trump was very upset about reported ban on MAGA attire, and even called for his Twitter followers to boycott the company.
On Wednesday, August 19, Trump wrote on Twitter: “Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS.
“Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!)”
Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less! (This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2020
The president’s call for a tyre boycott prompted Goodyear to release a statement in which it clarified that “the visual in question was not created or distributed by Goodyear corporate, nor was it part of a diversity training class”.
However, the company confirmed: “Goodyear has zero tolerance for any forms of harassment or discrimination.
“To enable a work environment free of those, we ask that associates refrain from workplace expressions in support of political campaigning for any candidate or political party, as well as similar forms of advocacy that fall outside the scope of racial justice and equity issues.”
Yesterday, Goodyear became the focus of a conversation that created some misconceptions about our policies and our company. Goodyear has always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so. pic.twitter.com/oO6jUg2rTR— Goodyear (@goodyear) August 19, 2020
Ironically, despite Trump’s insistence that people not buy from Goodyear and that it was easy to “get better” tyres, his own presidential state car is fitted with Goodyear tyres.
The presidential limousine, otherwise known as “The Beast”, is equipped with Goodyear Regional RHS tyres.
The United States Presidential State Car, nicknamed ‘The Beast’ and equipped with Goodyear tyres, in the garden of Buckingham Palace ahead of the Ceremonial Welcome for US President Donald Trump on day 1 of his State Visit to the UK on June 3, 2019. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty)
Goodyear has been the official tyre supplier for the US presidential vehicle for more than a decade, and its shred and puncture resistant tyres are also used by the US Secret Service.
