Steph Curry agrees with Under Armour CEO's description of Trump as an 'asset,' but only if 'you remove the -et'
Plank was highly complimentary of Trump in an interview on Tuesday with CNBC's "Fast Money Halftime Report," saying "to have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country."
That didn't seem to sit well with Curry, one of Under Armour's top athletes. In an interview with Marcus Thompson II of The Mercury News, Curry responded to the comments.
"I agree with that description," Curry said, "if you remove the 'et' from asset."
Curry told The Mercury News that spent most of Tuesday on the phone with Plank and others at Under Armour. Plank explained to Curry, according to Thompson, that the comments on Trump were meant "exclusively from a business perspective."
Curry went on to explain that Plank's involvement as part of a collaboration with Trump and other business leaders won't cause Curry to leave the brand. Rather, he wants to make sure Under Armour doesn't adopt Trump's values.
"It's a fine line but it's about how we're operating," Curry said, "How inclusive we are, what we stand for. He's the President. There are going to be people that are tied to them. But are we promoting change? Are we doing things that are going to look out for everybody? And not being so self-serving that it's only about making money, selling shoes, doing this and that. That's not the priority. It's about changing lives. I think we can continue to do that."
Under Armour released a statement clarifying Plank's remarks.
"At Under Armour, our culture has always been about optimism, teamwork, and unity. We have engaged with both the prior and the current administrations in advocating on business issues that we believe are in the best interests of our consumers, teammates, and shareholders. Kevin Plank was recently invited at the request of the President of the United States, to join the American Manufacturing Council as part of a distinguished group of business leaders. He joined CEOs from companies such as Dow Chemical, Dell, Ford, GE, and Tesla, among others to begin an important dialogue around creating jobs in America. We believe it is important for Under Armour to be a part of that discussion.
"We have always been committed to developing innovative ways to support and invest in American jobs and manufacturing. For years, Under Armour has had a long-term strategy for domestic manufacturing and we recently launched our first women's collection made in our hometown of Baltimore, MD. We are incredibly proud of this important first step in the evolution of creating more jobs at home.
"We engage in policy, not politics. We believe in advocating for fair trade, an inclusive immigration policy that welcomes the best and the brightest and those seeking opportunity in the great tradition of our country, and tax reform that drives hiring to help create new jobs globally, across America and in Baltimore.
"We have teammates from different religions, races, nationalities, genders, and sexual orientations; different ages, life experiences, and opinions. This is the core of our company. At Under Armour, our diversity is our strength, and we will continue to advocate for policies that Protect Our House, our business, our team, and our community."