Akron mayor knocks Trump over his call to boycott Goodyear

President Trump’s call Wednesday for Americans to boycott Goodyear tires over a policy surrounding “Make America Great Again” attire sparked backlash from officials in Akron, Ohio, where the tire company is headquartered.

“Goodyear has believed in this community for generations, investing in the power, tenacity and honest people of the heartland, which is more than we can say for this president,” the office of Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan (D) tweeted.

Goodyear has believed in this community for generations, investing in the power, tenacity and honest people of the heartland, which is more than we can say for this president. #WeStandWithGoodyear pic.twitter.com/0bM8Xax018

— City of Akron, Ohio (@AkronOhioMayor) August 19, 2020

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), who represents the Akron area, also condemned Trump, calling Goodyear an “iconic American company in a swing state” and noting that it employs more than 3,000 Ohioans. 

“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 told the Daily Beast.

The backlash surrounded a tweet Trump sent earlier in the day urging the public not to buy Goodyear tires, claiming the company “announced a BAN ON MAGA HATS,” referring to his campaign merchandise.

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

Trump weighed in following reports that some company employees in Kansas were told not to wear politically affiliated gear including “Make America Great Attain” attire. 

A local NBC News affiliate in Topeka reported on a slide purportedly shown at a Goodyear diversity training that listed “Blue Lives Matter,” “All Lives Matter,” “MAGA attire” and “politically-affiliated slogans or material” as “unacceptable.” 

Ohio is among key battleground states Trump narrowly carried in 2016 that Democrats are looking to flip in November to unseat the president and elect former Vice President Joe Biden.