Uber CEO Quits Trump's Business Advisory Group

Uber Technologies Inc Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick has quit President Donald Trump's business advisory group after coming under criticism for taking part, the company said on Thursday.

The CEO of the ride hailing service had been under mounting pressure from activists who oppose the administration's immigration policies, including Uber drivers, many of whom are immigrants themselves.

"Joining the group was not meant to be an endorsement of the president or his agenda but unfortunately it has been misinterpreted to be exactly that," Kalanick, who had planned to attend a meeting of the group on Friday, said in an email to staff that was seen by Reuters.

Uber spokeswoman Chelsea Kohler later confirmed that he had left the group.

Social media campaigns had targeted Uber, urging users to delete accounts. The company this week has been emailing users who deleted their account to emphasize it shares concerns about the immigration orders and efforts to compensate drivers affected by the ban.

Kalanick said he spoke briefly to Trump about the immigration order "and its issues for our community" and told the president he would not join the economic council.

The CEO came under increasing pressure to leave the council after Trump issued an executive order temporarily barring people from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States.

"There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that. The executive order is hurting many people in communities all across America," he wrote in a note to employees. "Families are being separated, people are stranded overseas and there's a growing fear the U.S. is no longer a place that welcomes immigrants."

The move could put pressure on other CEOs expected to attend a meeting with Trump on Friday. General Motors Co said its chief executive will attend, while Walt Disney Co said earlier Thursday its chief executive would not attend because of a long-planned-board meeting.

Others expected to take part include the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase & Co, Blackstone Group LP, IBM Corp and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Others that are part of the council include Tesla Motors chief executive Elon Musk, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and Boston Consulting Group CEO Rich Lesser.

The White House did not immediately comment.

(Reporting by Heather Somerville in San Francisco, David Shepardson in Washington, Joe White in Detroit writing Peter Henderson; Editing by David Gregorio)