Tim Ryan condemns Trump’s call for Goodyear boycott: ‘This is an iconic American company in a swing state’

Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan (D) on Wednesday said he was shocked to see President Trump call for a boycott of Goodyear over reports that employees were told not to wear the president’s trademark “Make America Great Again” attire. 

Ryan spoke to the Daily Beast and described Trump’s tweet as a “holy shit” moment in a presidency.

“This is an iconic American company in a swing state … It’s really, really dumb politically. But it shows the problem that he has — that it’s more about him than it is about other people,” Ryan said.

The Democratic congressman represents the Akron area, where Goodyear’s headquarters are located.

“He’s directly saying,” said Ryan, “he wants to put you out of a job.” 

Ryan noted on Twitter that Goodyear employs over 3,000 Ohioans. The company, founded in 1898, employs approximately 62,000 people in total.  

“Ohio sees through these false promises. We can’t fire this President fast enough,” wrote Ryan, who ended his own long-shot bid for the Democratic presidential nomination last October. 

Trump promised to create manufacturing jobs. But he didn’t lift a finger when @GM left Lordstown. Now he’s attacking @Goodyear which employs over 3,000 Ohioans.

Ohio sees through these false promises. We can’t fire this President fast enough. https://t.co/oAwOQX1jfN

— Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) August 19, 2020

The president targeted Goodyear on Twitter and encouraged Americans not to purchase the company’s tires.

“Don’t buy GOODYEAR TIRES – They announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS. Get better tires for far less!” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

“(This is what the Radical Left Democrats do. Two can play the same game, and we have to start playing it now!)” he added.

The tweet came after a local NBC News affiliate in Topeka, Kan., reported that Goodyear employees were discouraged from wearing any politically affiliated slogan or material.

A photo from the company’s diversity training began circulating on social media after an anonymous employee snapped the picture.

It reportedly listed Trump’s trademarked “MAGA” attire, “Blue Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter” as “unacceptable.”

“Black Lives Matter,” “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender pride” were reportedly listed under “acceptable.”

Goodyear subsequently issued a message saying that the image created “misconceptions” about the company and its policies, stating that the visual “was not created or distributed by Goodyear corporate, nor was it part of a diversity training class.”

Without explicitly mentioning Trump’s tweet, the tire company said it does not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination in the workplace and as a result asks associates to “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.”

Goodyear said it has “always wholeheartedly supported both equality and law enforcement and will continue to do so” and denounced suggestions that the company is “anti-police.”

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

Goodyear’s stock declined 3.4 percent Wednesday morning, following the president’s message, which was sent to his over 85 million Twitter followers.

Trump won Ohio by 8 points in 2016 and most Democrats did not believe at the start of the cycle the state would be in play for 2020.

However, the Trump campaign has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars advertising in Ohio, a sign that it views the Buckeye State as competitive in the White House race.

A poll released earlier this month showed Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden with a 4-point lead over Trump in Ohio.