Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour, took out a full-page ad in the Baltimore Sun on Wednesday to clarify his and UA's position on President Trump's controversial travel ban that limits immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries. Plank and his company have faced serious public backlash in the wake of him calling Trump a "real asset" in an interview last week.
The letter, which appears in its entirety below, does not mention Trump by name. In it, Plank affirms that Under Armour is pro-immigration and writes that he personally believes "that immigration is the foundation of our country’s exceptionalism." He also says his company is publicly opposing the travel ban.
Plank dedicates space in the letter to Under Armour's philanthropic efforts in the city of Baltimore like the UA House community center and the Manufacturing Bootcamp that seeks to outfit locals with skills needed to enter the workforce.
The CEO mentions the importance of job creation to Under Armour's mission, a detail alluding to the reasoning behind his initial meeting with Trump.
Fallout from Plank's Trump comments came not only from the public but also from Under Armour-sponsored athletes like Steph Curry, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Misty Copeland.
