Merck CEO 'pathetic' to make political statement by exiting manufacturing council: Shkreli
Former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli on Tuesday called out Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier for leaving President Donald Trump’s American Manufacturing Council.
In his first television interview since being convicted of two counts of securities fraud and one count of conspiracy, Shkreli said Mr. Frazier is “self-indulgent” and is “politicizing the moment.”
“I think that he is supposed to be advising the President on manufacturing, let him advise him on manufacturing. He is not here to talk about anything political or anything about race relations or anything about what happen in Charlottesville. He’s here to be the President’s economic advisor,” Shkreli exclusively told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo of Mornings with Maria.
Trump took to Twitter Monday to respond to the Merck CEO quitting the manufacturing council, writing, “Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council, he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!”
Now that Ken Frazier of Merck Pharma has resigned from President's Manufacturing Council,he will have more time to LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2017
Shkreli applauded the President’s tweet and said Frazier is using events in Charlottesville to call attention to his righteousness.
“This tragedy affect all of us. The President condemned it, everyone condemns it. I don’t know anyone who supports and [Frazier] is sort of saying, ‘No, I am going to make a statement, I am the righteous one’ and I think that is sort of pathetic,” he said.