Apple CEO Tim Cook says it's 'time for de-escalation' in Minneapolis
Cook came under fire for appearing at The White House just hours after federal immigration authorities killed Alex Pretti, a veterans' nurse, in Minnesota
FABRICE COFFRINI / Contributor / Getty Images
Apple $AAPL CEO Tim Cook told staff he is "heartbroken" by the events in Minneapolis and has expressed his concerns to President Donald Trump.
The message was sent to staff on Tuesday, according to The Wall Street Journal. Cook came under fire this weekend for attending a White House screening of the First Lady Melania Trump's documentary on Saturday, just hours after federal immigration authorities killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a veterans' nurse, in Minnesota's biggest city.
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“This is a time for de-escalation,” Cook wrote to Apple staff. “I believe America is strongest when we live up to our highest ideals, when we treat everyone with dignity and respect no matter who they are or where they’re from, and when we embrace our shared humanity.”
Cook said he “had a good conversation with the president this week where I shared my views, and I appreciate his openness to engaging on issues that matter to us all." He also told staff he appreciates how "deeply our teams care about the world beyond our walls.”
The Apple CEO — like many of his fellow business leaders — has been careful not to criticize the President during his second term. Cook's gone further than most of his peers in trying to woo the president, even gifting him a gold-plated, engraved silicon disk amid iPhone tariff threats.
But recent events in Minneapolis, following both Pretti's killing and the fatal shooting of Renee Good by federal immigration agents, have seemed to break through to the business community.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees earlier this week he believes federal immigration agents are "going too far." Still, like Cook, Altman didn't go as far as to criticize Trump, saying instead he believes the President is "a very strong leader, and I hope he will rise to this moment and unite the country."
Following Pretti's killing, Minnesota CEOs, including Michael Fiddelke of Target $TGT, Corie Barrie of Best Buy $BBY, and Jeff Harmening of General Mills $GIS, also signed a joint letter calling "for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions." Their statement stopped short of mentioning the Trump administration, I.C.E., Renee Good, or Alex Pretti by name.